By that Sin Fell the Angels
by MistressJade2002
Summary: Kristina returns home after 5 years...but what has she done to incur the wrath of the Cassadine matriarch? Helena will do anything to keep her most shocking and monstrous secrets from the residents of Port Charles; 3 families will be forever changed.
1. Chapter 1

Ethan looked up from his coffee and smiled at Molly as she walked into Kelly's, lugging what had to be the biggest backpack he'd ever laid eyes on. The seventeen year old grinned back at him as she dropped the book bag in the seat to his right; it landed with an intimidating thud, and Molly flopped into the chair across from him in that boneless way only a teenager could manage.

'Alright there luv?' he asked, settling deeper into his own chair and slowly spinning his coffee cup clockwise with just the tips of his fingers. Molly grimaced tugging off her winter coat and gloves, and then with an inarticulate sigh/whine she slumped farther into her seat.

"More or less…well…probably less…Latin is pretty much trying to give me brain lesions…" she paused and then quickly amended "I mean, make my brain bleed."

Ethan laughed at the dejected look on her face, and then raised an eyebrow.

"I get what you mean, but I thought you were some kind of genius when it came to schoolwork and such."

"I am, at pretty much everything but Latin…or any language that isn't English. I have a deep affinity for English linguistics, so the syntax and phonology of other languages really throws me off. Which is probably why I'm so frustrated," she said with a sigh "I'm not used to any type of school related stress."

"I wish I could help you out, but I'm nowhere near qualified…" he trailed off looking bemused, digging a pack of cards out of his jacket pocket. "…as an Aussie I barely get by with regular American English."

"No, it's fine. Kristina should be getting in tonight, and she was always great with Latin, so I'll pick her brain. The papers not due for another two weeks anyway, so I have some time before I genuinely start to panic." Molly said, glancing at Ethan as she rummaged through her bag for a hair band.

The only reaction was a brief pause as he shuffled the cards, but Molly still caught Ethan's lapse when she mentioned Kristina. Krissy had been away at college, and had only been home a few times over the years. Molly didn't know the specifics of what had happened, but Ethan and Kristina hadn't parted on friendly terms. One day they were fine, chummy…and the next they weren't even speaking to each other.

She grimaced at the memory of Kristina's mood in those last few weeks before she'd left for Yale; ugly was an insipid word for the black mood that had consumed her sister every time Ethan's name had come up or when they ran into each other.

Not that Ethan had been much better; Tracy had enforced a "vacation" from the Haunted Star, snapping that Ethan was irritating the customers. He'd disappeared for a month, no one knew to where, and when he'd come back Kristina was already gone.

Molly was genuinely fond of Ethan, kind of like an unofficial older brother; he was easy to talk to and never looked or talked to her the way some people did, like she had a third eye or a tail. He never seemed too busy for a hand of poker, or to listen to her problems; she also hadn't given up on her match making, and was quite certain that Ethan was perfect for Kristina.

It was also nice to have someone to talk to that she wasn't actually related to. She sighed, quite aware that her pariah status in school and lack of friends was her own fault. It had nothing to do with her appearance or her attitude; she was pleasant most of the time, and had been called pretty more than once. She shared her mother and her sister's dark complexion and dark brown eyes, and she was even willing to admit that she was a little vain about her hair, which was pin straight, thick, and glossy.

Unfortunately that was all surface, which was about as deep as most High School kids bothered to look; her genius level brilliance had become more of a hindrance than a help in the past few years. When she was nervous or uncomfortable, Molly tended to ramble and stammer like any regular teenager, but instead of talking clothes or the latest TV craze, she babbled on about quadratic equations, politics, books, and philosophy.

She really couldn't help it though…and she'd honestly tried! The more social situations she was in, the worse they seemed to get; more often than not her brain sent her mouth spiraling off into tangents and before she realized what happened, the person she was talking was staring at her with a glazed, uncomprehending look.

"Hi pumpkin," Mike said strolling up to their table wiping his hands on his apron "what can I get for you, some hot chocolate?"

"Please" she said, beaming up at him. He nodded and turned towards Ethan, gesturing towards his now empty coffee cup.

"I'm actually good, but thanks anyway mate," Ethan said, passing the empty mug to him "I promised Molly a game or two, and then I'm meeting up with the family at Jakes."

Mike nodded "Alright, then I'll be right back with your drink Molly."

"Are you ready for your lesson?" Ethan asked as he finished shuffling the cards, rubbing his hands together menacingly.

"Definitely," Molly said with a grin "you're going down this time!"

Ethan just laughed and dealt the cards.


	2. Chapter 2

Helena Cassadine sat at the ornate desk in her office, scowling at the letter clasped tightly in her hand; the left side of her face was bandaged, from her jaw to cheekbone. At the sharp knock on the door, she glanced up in irritation, tossing the letter back to the surface of her desk in disgust.

"Yes."

Her bodyguard Raoul opened the door. "Ma'am, we just received confirmation, the girl has arrived back in Port Charles. The plane landed forty five minutes ago."

She nodded, gripping the handle of the dagger-sharp letter opener a bit tighter before laying it down and relaxing back into her leather chair.

"Very well, I want to know what she's doing, who she's in contact with every minute of every day. She's to do nothing, and speak to no one that I don't read about in my daily report, is that understood?"

"Yes…" he trailed off, and she nodded her head sharply.

"Good. That will be all." she said dismissively, turning her attention back to the papers in front of her.

"…however, Mrs. Cassadine…" he hesitated, still in the doorway.

Slowly her head came back up, eyes shrewd.

"However…" she prompted, tone dangerous.

"Now that she's back in Port Charles, she'll have guards…her father's people, maybe your Grandson's." he stated, shuffling uncomfortably under her intense gaze.

"She's has been a constant thorn in my side for the last few years, and this is the first time she's been within my reach since that…unfortunate…incident in Russia last month. You _will_ find a way, you _will_ do your job, or I _will_ get someone who can…I do not suffer fools, or failure. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"

He nodded "Crystal clear Mrs. Cassadine."

Once he'd backed out and shut the door Helena allowed herself to run a finger over the bandage on her cheek, then forced her hand away. Kristina Corinthos-Davis would pay; no one crossed Helena Cassadine and walked away unscathed, no one.

She gathered a few of the papers on her desk and stood, crossed the room, and flung them into the fireplace, watching them as they blackened and burned, edges gleaming bright in the flames as they shriveled into ash.

She glanced up and caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror over the hearth. Again, her hand traveled up to touch the edge of the bandage. The trill of her cell phone snapped her out of her daze; frowning she returned to her desk, and made herself comfortable before she glanced at her caller ID and answered.

"Well hello Amaliya, I hadn't expected to hear from so soon. Are you both settling in?" she paused, once again fingering the ornate letter opener. "Wonderful. I haven't time to discuss this with you now, but I'll be calling at my regular time later this week." Helena paused again, fingering the edge of the blade. "Perfect; simply let the housekeeper know if you need anything, I don't want you leaving the compound…yes…goodbye."

Helena laid the phone down, eyes still captivated by the blade of the letter opener; she would have blood for blood, and she would be the one to watch it drain from Alexis's whelp…just as she'd done to her grandmother.

Kristina was nearly out of time, and she knew it; all her little flight home meant was that their game would soon have more players. No one survived Helena Cassadine's wrath, no one thwarted her will.


	3. Chapter 3

"Cheater" Molly intoned sullenly. Ethan just laughed and gathered the cards back together.

"Don't be a sore loser. It's very unbecoming in a young lady." He said, putting the deck away and digging in the other pocket for his gloves. She scowled at him and kicked at him under the table. Ethan just laughed again and tweaked her nose, standing quickly to avoid a second abuse to his shins.

She leaned over and dug her chemistry book from her bag, then glanced up at him "So you weren't counting the cards then?" He just smiled and shrugged while pulling on his gloves, and Molly rolled her eyes at him.

"Same time next week?" he asked

"Yep! Tell everyone I said hi!" Molly answered, flipping to the right page in her book.

"Will do, and good luck with the Latin kiddo." Ethan tossed the words over his shoulder as he stepped out of Kelly's and into the chilled December air. He stood in the brisk wind for a moment, zipping up the front of his jacket.

He refused to think about Kristina coming home, or that night 5 years ago on the docks, just weeks before she'd left. Putting it from his mind, where it had been gnawing at him since Molly's announcement, he jammed his hands into his coat pockets and trudged against the wind, in the general direction of Jake's.


	4. Chapter 4

Ethan strolled into Jakes, immediately spotting his family at a table near the stage. Truth be told, the Spencer clan was hard to miss; Tracy was clearly already three sheets to the wind, her face was flushed, her voice was raised, and she was waving her empty beer bottle at her husband menacingly while she teetered from side to side munching on peanuts.

Instead of immediately joining the chaos Ethan leaned against the bar and Coleman obligingly passed him a beer.

"Do I even want to ask?" he inquired before tipping his head back for a quick swig.

"Dude, I love your family night. I really do, I get free entertainment for the crowd and don't have to pay anyone." Coleman intoned dryly. "From what I understand, Luke's old lady thinks he was making eyes at the pretty little thing at the end of the bar."

Ethan smirked when Tracy took a swing with the bottle, which Luke ducked. Lucky quickly snagged the empty container from his inebriated stepmother and passed it to Lulu.

Tracy stared for a moment at her empty hand, looking mildly confused, before turning her ire back to her husband, poking him repeatedly in the center of his chest and railing like a fishwife. The besotted look on Luke's face was almost too much for Ethan to stomach.

Ethan quirked an eyebrow at Lulu when it took her a couple of tries to pull her enormous bulk out of the chair next to Lucky; she stomped awkwardly up to the bar, a nasty expression spreading across her lovely face at Ethan's amused expression.

She passed Tracy's empty bottle to Coleman before turning to lean against the bar next to her brother, quickly jamming her elbow into his ribs in the process.

"Ouch! What was that for?" he winced, rubbing his sternum before glaring down at her.

"You know what." She grumbled.

"I didn't say anything!"

"You didn't need to," she grumped "I could see it in your face."

"Mean." Ethan grouched in return and then let it go, wrapping his arm around her shoulder; Lulu was especially sensitive at the moment. Her pregnancy had made his normally graceful, generally composed sister a waddling, emotional, overly sensitive nightmare.

Every little thing set her off…he'd mentioned last week that she had a radiant, pregnant glow about her. She'd chucked her cell phone at him, bashing it into his temple, and then she'd cried for 15 minutes; in Lulu speak "radiant, pregnant glow" was apparently code for "pregnant, sweaty mess".

They watched as Tracy flung her remaining peanuts at Luke, who retaliated by kissing Tracy passionately. She remained stiff for a moment before Luke whispered something into her ear; then she smiled and then chortled, finally kissed him back with drunken fervor. They both returned to their seats, scooting their chairs closer together, Luke motioning at Coleman for another round.

"Well, they're never boring." Lulu said, glancing up at him. They both laughed and Ethan squeezed her shoulder companionably as he led her back to the table, and a harassed looking Lucky and Elizabeth.


	5. Chapter 5

"It's a good thing that Tracy hired a driver, they can barely walk." Lucky observed, tipping his head back to finish off his coke.

He, Elizabeth, Lulu, and Ethan watched their father and Tracy teeter out of Jakes', arms intertwined, singing the dirtiest limerick they'd ever heard. Ethan nodded in agreement, then cringed when Luke hit a note so excruciating sharp and painful that it made his ears ring; Elizabeth flinched so hard she nearly slid out of her chair. The entire bar sighed in collective relief as the door banged shut behind the tone deaf couple.

Lulu reached for one of Lucky's fries, but he scowled and smacked her fingers, scooting the plate out of her reach.

"They're bad for you, and the baby." He said, cramming a few more into his mouth. She pinched his bicep, snagging a few when he twisted away with a yelp. Elizabeth elbowed his other arm before he could retaliate.

"Leave her alone. A few fries aren't going to hurt anyone." she insisted, pushing his plate closer to Lulu, who beamed at her.

"It hurts me." Lucky complained, slouching down into his chair. Elizabeth just leaned in and gave him a quick kiss. Lucky, smiled back at her and reached across the table, tenderly gripping her hand with his. Ethan was glad to see them so at ease with each other, and knew that Lulu was as well. They hadn't had an easy time of it, especially when Aiden's paternity had been revealed, but now that they'd found their way back to each other, they both seemed happier than ever.

Lulu suddenly stiffened, eyes going hard, her face tense. Lucky and Elizabeth both glanced over their shoulders to find the cause of Lulu's distress, but Ethan didn't need to look to know that his partner Johnny Zacchara had just walked into Jakes'.

Johnny, his expression inscrutable, ordered a drink and removed his leather jacket, eyes never leaving Lulu. Lulu's hand clamped down hard on Ethan's hand beneath the table, her eyes flitting to Lucky.

"I want to go home, now. Take me home" she said through clenched teeth.

"You're going to have to talk to him eventually Lu." Lucky said gently, nodding his head towards her stomach. "He's the father, and you can't keep avoiding him. You're going to share a child together."

"You can either take me home, or I'm calling Maxie to come and get me." She tossed back, thrusting her chin out defiantly.

"C'mon luv, Lucky's right." Ethan soothed, squeezing her hand. "You should at least hear a bloke out." Lulu snatched her hand away and began rummaging through her purse for her cell phone.

"Of course you think I should talk to him, he's your best friend, and I'm just your sister."

"C'mon, don't be like that. Look, if it would help, I'd beat him bloody for you…friend or not. We both would." he said, gesturing rapidly several times between Lucky and himself with his thumb. "But what's that going to accomplish? He's trying Lulu, he's making an effort…can't you just hear him out?"

"No, I can't. Not yet. Please, I just want to go home." Her voice trembled and she looked down at her hands, where she was gripping her phone tightly, a few tears dripping onto the screen.

"Lucky, let's just take her home." Liz whispered, eyes compassionate as they settled on Lulu. He nodded grudgingly, eyeing Ethan, who was rubbing a reassuring hand across Lulu's shoulders.

Ethan frowned when Lucky caught his eye, then tilted his head and nodded meaningfully from Ethan towards Johnny. He glanced once more at Lulu and then sighed. Damn.


	6. Chapter 6

Johnny frowned as he watched Ethan and Lucky help Lulu out of the chair and to her feet. Lucky was partially blocking his view of her, but he saw her turn to give Ethan a quick hug, before she allowed Lucky to help her with her jacket. Elizabeth glanced once in his direction with a sympathetic expression before gathering their belongings.

Ethan thumped Lucky's arm companionably with the flat of his hand and waved a quick goodbye to Elizabeth before making his way up to the bar. Johnny was still looking towards Lulu, who averted her face and allowed Elizabeth to wrap an arm around her to lead her past the bar and out the door, Lucky directly behind them; never once did she glance in his direction.

"Just let her leave Johnny, she's pretty upset, and that's not good for the baby." Ethan murmured, when Johnny made a move to follow her. He slid onto the stool next to his friend and motioning for another beer.

"Is she really just going to keep ignoring me?" Johnny asked, running his fingers though his hair in agitation, quickly downing the shot Coleman placed before him.

"Look mate, you know I've been trying to stay out of it. I'm Switzerland and all that, but honestly, why should she talk to you?" Ethan asked.

"We're having a baby, she—"

"I know, I know, she's having your baby, you love her, you didn't do anything wrong, she's your soul-mate, 'blah blah blah'. We've had this conversation mate; I get what you're saying. I really do, but you have to admit, all that aside, she caught you with your pants down." Ethan replied evenly.

"She didn't catch me with my pants down!" Johnny snapped "She walked in on Maya trying to seduce me. I was completely innocent."

"Were you, or were you not wearing pants?" Ethan queried quirking an eyebrow.

"I was in the shower! Of course I wasn't wearing pants!" Johnny spat, "You of all people should know how devious Maya can be, for God's sake, she had her claws in you on and off for nearly three years!"

"Look, Johnny, I believe you, I really do, but it's not me that needs convincing. Just, give Lulu a little more time; she isn't ready to talk to you yet mate."

"It's been nearly six months Ethan. She flinches every time I walk into a room, cringes every time I take a step in her direction. I call and leave messages, I show up where she works, at places I know she's gonna be. I go to the apartment and plead with a damn closed door at least twice a week; I've sent letters and emails. I tried enlisting Maxie and Carly, which was a huge mistake by the way...I don't know what else to do, I'm getting desperate." Johnny griped, signaling for another beer.

"You're not desperate, not until you've tried carrier pigeons or kidnapping." Ethan said, and then laughed at Johnny's 'wanna bet' expression.

"Those options are currently filed under 'last resort'." Johnny replied darkly. The door behind then opened, and the two men shivered and grimaced when the freezing December wind gusted across their backs.

"Did you have to pick the worst bloody seats in the damn place?" Ethan asked, glaring at Johnny who merely shrugged.

Johnny yelped when a cold thumb and forefinger closed around his earlobe and gave a quick yank. He spun on his stool, expression menacing, and then he simply froze. Kristina Corinthos-Davis was standing directly behind him, expression mischievous. Ethan who'd also turned went absolutely still, inside and out.

"Kristina!" Johnny exclaimed, leaping from his seated position and swinging the younger woman up into a tight hug.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Kristina laughed and wrapped her arms around Johnny's neck as he swept her up into a fierce hug. Over the years they'd sort of adopted each other; she was sure that, at least on his end, it had something to do with Claudia…but she'd never pressed him about it.

"Hi! When'd you get into town?" he asked with a grin once he'd released her.

"Not too long ago, but you'd have known I was coming if you ever bothered to check your email." she said smiling back at him. Slowly her smile vanished, and she tilted her head back to glare at him.

"Some of us don't…" he trailed off noting her expression "…what?" he asked, looking bewildered.

"Did you get taller?" she demanded, her tone accusing. Johnny just laughed and tucked her beneath his arm.

"No, but I think that maybe you shrunk." was his retort; this earned him a jab in the ribs. Finally, Kristina allowed her gaze to shift to the man still sitting next to Johnny's abandoned barstool.

"Ethan." She said with a polite smile as their eyes locked; she ignored the slow familiar roll in her stomach that she'd only ever associated with Ethan Lovett.

"Kristina." He said with a smirk, angling his beer towards her in a mock salute. She hated that he was charming, that he had always seemed charming to her. Just the sound of his voice still set a fire in her blood; she cursed him for it, even as she banished the longing he'd ignited.

Johnny watched them, watching each other in an uneasy silence for several moments. Finally he rolled his eyes and gave her shoulders a light squeeze, drawing her attention back to him.

"So, how long ya in town?" Johnny questioned as he released her and retook his seat.

"I'm not really sure yet, but definitely long enough to catch up with old friends," she promised, eyes mischievous "the keyword there being 'old'." She teased as she tugged off her toboggan and ran her fingers through her damp hair to dislodge the last of the snow.

Ethan watched Kristina smile and laugh with Johnny while he nursed the last of his beer; he wasn't sure why he was irritated, but he was sure it was her fault.

He'd been expecting to see the adolescent Kristina, or at least a facsimile of her. The image of her as she'd been at 18 had been stamped into his mind for the last five years; he'd been equipped to see Kristina the teenager again. But Kristina the woman…there was no way he could have prepared for that.

When he'd first seen her, everything had gone still, then he'd felt his heart slam violently into his rib cage; Ethan found himself all too aware of her deep, intriguing brown eyes, their shape and color, the length of her lashes. Her hair was shorter than he remembered, barely brushing her shoulders, but still the same rich, mahogany color.

No, there'd been no way to anticipate this instant punch of attraction, which he mercilessly and methodically squashed.

Their eyes locked again when she looked over and caught him staring at her; her expression remained unreadable. He grinned roguishly; she resolutely ignored him and returned her attention to what Johnny was saying.

Kristina shook her head. "No, I haven't been home yet, this is actually my first stop."

Johnny tsked. "See what college life has done to you? You come home for a visit, but your first stop is the bar. Disgraceful."

She snickered. "Shut up."

"College was a bad influence on you." He said sorrowfully, tone clearly mocking.

"The Lake House is my next stop smart-aleck. I just have a little business here first, then its home, for 10 to12 hours of blissful, uninterrupted sleep."

"Easy there Rip Van Winkle, let's not get excessive." Johnny cocked a brow at her. "What kind of business would you have here, especially at this time of night, when you haven't been home long enough to catch a cold in the last few years?"

Kristina glared at him, before she made a strangled sound that was trapped somewhere between anger and annoyance. Ethan remained silent, but his gaze was clearly inquisitive; Johnny's question had piqued his interest, drat them both.

"Tonight is actually phase one of my master plan." She confided in a conspiratorial tone, "Tonight Pinky, is the night I take over Port Charles, and then…the world!"

Ethan cleared his throat, and averted his face, clearly fighting a grin. Johnny glared at him, and then turned his scowl on her, reaching out to tug sharply on a damp stand of her hair. "Cute, real cute!"

Kristina scoffed. "So was the whole 'dad' routine you just tried to pull. Please, even in your dotage, try to remember that I'm not a teenager anymore."

Johnny's grin was playful. "…if it quacks like a duck…"

"Or if it brays like an ass…" she retorted, tone syrupy sweet, as she fluttered her eyelashes at him.

He laughed, "Alright, alright. I concede. I think my ego's had all the catching up it can stand, for today anyway."

Her smile was triumphant "Then I'll see you later." She leaned in and gave him an affectionate peck on the cheek. As she drew back, her gaze was drawn to Ethan's again. She tucked her coat over one arm and managed a polite smile. "Goodnight Ethan."

"Night Krissy." He murmured, allowing his gaze to follow her for a fleeting moment as she moved past him, towards the tables near the back.

"Well that was unexpected." Johnny said after a moment, as they both turned back to face the bar.

"Not really, Molly mentioned earlier that Kristina was going to be in town." Ethan replied nonchalantly as Coleman traded out his empty bottle for a full one. He opened his mouth to say something else, but paused when he realized Coleman hadn't relinquished his beer.

"Coleman, you alright mate?" Ethan enquired. Johnny quirked an eyebrow, clearly amused.

He leaned in a bit closer. "I just thought you boys might like a heads up. Sonny's little angel just sat down at a table in the back, with the meanest looking son of a bitch I've seen in years. He's got a Ruskie accent, a nasty scar, and he's payin' cash. You might want to pay a bit more attention to that situation." Coleman suggested his tone speculative as he relinquished his hold on Ethan's drink and stepped away.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Kristina tossed her jacket across the back of her chair and then sat down across from Aleksandr. He'd seated himself as far as possible from the other patrons, his back to the wall, all exits clearly visible.

"I was surprised to get your message; I didn't think you'd turn up for another week. Were you able to find the information that we talked about?" she asked; suddenly her expression turned fierce. "_Sasha!_ Didn't we agree that you were going to quit smoking?" she snapped, sliding the ashtray closer to him, her eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"When I got your message, I was already in town." his voice was raspy and heavily accented; she said nothing in response, but began to drum her painted nails on the table while she glared at him.

Still partially concealed in the shadows, he gave a long suffering sigh, and then leaned forward to forcefully stab the cigarette out. "Happy now…and I did not agree to stop smoking. I agreed not to smoke around you _sestrenka_." he reached into the inner pocket of his jacket, pulled out a manila envelope, and slid it across the table to her.

She let his remark go, and reached for the packet, eyes lit with excitement. Aleksandr didn't release the package when she grasped it; instead he reached out with his other hand and seized her wrist tightly. Kristina's head shot up and her brow furrowed in confusion when her eyes locked with his.

"This is your last chance _Kristya_. Once you do this, there is not any going back." he warned his expression stern, accent thicker than usual. "She will come for you if you do this. She will hunt you; you will become a threat, and her enemy."

Aleksandr would never be classified as a handsome man; attractive, dangerous, compelling, frightening…now those words would definitely make the list, but never handsome. Strangely enough, the scar that diagonally bisected the left side of his face enhanced his features, rather than detracting from them; it began in his hairline, then ran down through one eyebrow, thankfully skipped the eye itself, and ended about an inch beneath his eye.

Kristina would be the first to admit that Aleksandr was an intimidating man; but it was also peculiar to her that no one ever bothered to look beyond his scar. In a lot of ways he reminded her of Jason Morgan. Was he a killer…yes; a man not to be crossed…absolutely, but his code of honor and devotion to his friends was beautiful and endearing.

"It's too late _Bolshoy Brat_." she reached out with her free hand, and lightly traced his scar with the tips of her fingers. "I marked her, last month in Russia the way she marked you. Even if I wanted to back out, it's too late. I need this information; it's the only way I can fight back."

He scowled at her, tightened his grip on her captured wrist to a painful degree, and began to curse at her in his native language. Annoyed with some of his more imaginative insults she slammed her free hand down on the table top, making the ashtray rattle and clink against the wooden surface, and began swearing back at him in fluent Russian.

"…'Scuse us luv, are we interrupting something?" Ethan's voice was deceptively mild as he disrupted the heated argument.

Kristina looked up in surprise; Johnny was standing to the left side of the table, glowering maliciously at Aleksandr. Ethan, who'd been standing on the right side of the table, flipped the chair nearest him around and straddled it, seating himself between Kristina and Aleksandr.

"_Why didn't you tell me they were coming over here?"_ she hissed in Russian. _"If they ask, you are a friend I met last summer, when I was in Europe." _Aleksandr scowled at her, clearly annoyed on several levels, but nodded, saying nothing.

"Kris, you ok?" Johnny asked, placing a hand protectively on her shoulder.

"I'm totally fine…didn't think I'd see you guys again tonight. Aren't you the one who said he was tired of all my verbal abuse." she teased in English, quickly plastering a smile on her face.

"How about you let go of the lady's wrist...now." Ethan's tone was easygoing, but his expression was clearly indicative of a threat. Aleksandr smiled slowly, his gaze locking with Ethan's for several moments before releasing her hand.

"The…" he glanced at Kristina and smirked "…lady was not complaining." He settled further back into his chair, deliberately adopting a relaxed pose. Kristina rolled her eyes, unzipped her purse, and stuffed the thick envelope inside

"Don't pick fight's _Sasha_." she said offhandedly as she zipped her purse closed. "Johnny, Ethan this is Aleksandr Sokolov. Aleksandr, this is Johnny Zacchara, one of my oldest friends…and…his associate Ethan Lovett."

Johnny gave her a strange look, and Ethan's fleeting gaze was difficult to interpret. They sat in silence for several moments.

"So how do the two of you know each other?" Johnny asked, finally breaking the uneasy silence. Kristina sighed…it was going to be a long night.

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Kristina slumped down further into her chair, scowling at the men seated around her, mentally cursing the entire male half of the species. Ethan and Johnny had invited themselves to sit with Aleksandr and herself about twenty minutes before, and were showing no signs of departing before the New Year.

After Johnny and Ethan's _'oh so subtle'_ questioning she was ready to strangle them both. Not that Aleksandr was making things any better; he was deliberately being vague and answering provocatively…obviously needling the two men.

The conversation was innocent enough at first; when and where had Kristina and Aleksandr met, where he was from, what he did for a living, and finally…were he and Kristina just friends.

Suddenly and with absolutely no warning Aleksandr, who up to this point had been deflecting and lying beautifully, gave her a roguish grin…and went completely off script.

"I'd say we were more than just friends, wouldn't you _Kristya?_"

Mid swallow she began to choke on her drink; quickly recovering she stuttered an agreement, trying to cover her surprise by pretending embarrassment and shyness.

"Yes…more than friends. We're taking things slowly though, seeing what develops." Her tone was even as she uttered the lie, wondering where the hell that had come from.

Ethan's expression didn't really change at their impromptu announcement. He'd been resolutely stoic all evening…but unless she was mistaken, there was a noticeable tightening and flexing of his jaw, as if he was grinding his teeth. Johnny was less subtle as he set his beer down with unnecessary force.

"Not offense," Johnny said, sounding deliberately offensive "but I don't really see the two of you together."

"It was a surprise to me too." Kristina bit out, resisting the urge to throw something. The hostility in her tone was for Aleksandr, even though it sounded as if she was chastising Johnny.

Aleksandr reached out and took her hand lightly to help sell his ridiculous fabrication; she squeezed back so hard that she swore she could feel his bones grinding together. For whatever reason Aleksandr was embellishing and exaggerating their relationship; even as she smiled at him, the look in her eyes clearly promised murder and dismemberment.

Kristina let herself into the Lake House about an hour later and closed the door behind her. Trying not to disturb her mother or Molly she silently made her way through the living room to her bedroom; she shut the door quietly and flipped on the light, then tossed her bags down onto the floor beside the bed.

After Aleksandr's little bombshell the evening had not improved. If anything, Johnny had been more combative and hostile, while Ethan remained mostly silent, apparently content to scowl and issue the occasional veiled insult.

Of course Johnny had insisted on driving them to their respective destinations, rather than allowing them to share a cab when they were ready to leave. Ethan had opted to walk, despite the cold and the lateness of the hour. Johnny had dropped Aleksandr off at the Metro Court, and then had brought her home. During the drive they'd barely said two words to each other, not that she was complaining, she was all talked out.

Quickly changing into a nightgown Kristina switched off the light and climbed into her childhood bed. There was something very comforting about being home and knowing that your mother and sister were sleeping safely down the hall.

Finally she allowed herself to relax, and just absorb the events of today…to think about Ethan. Ethan…she'd deliberately ignored him tonight, as much as she dared without being impolite. She'd spent the last five years trying to convince herself that their only real connection had been a ridiculous one-sided childhood crush…and that seeing him again now would be completely different.

It annoyed her that seeing him tonight had been a shock to her system. Here in the dark, she could admit to herself that she'd missed him. Missed their talks and poker lessons, his smile and his laugh; how pathetic was she….to still miss their easy camaraderie. She rolled over and bunched her pillow beneath her head; that was another lifetime ago; she'd been another person then.

Too much had changed, and strangely enough…too much had stayed the same.

She'd always loved him. Had loved him from the first time she'd seen him singing at Jake's. At first it had been a silly infatuation, but then something had changed. Her feelings had matured, evolved…and there was no escaping the truth. She was in love with Ethan Lovett, and she always would be. Damn.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Laying the Queen of Hearts on top of the King of Spades, Ethan barely glanced up from his game of Solitaire when Johnny sat down across from him in the Haunted Star's office.

"Still not open for business I see." Johnny said, tucking his leather gloves into his jacket pocket and leaning across the desk to nab the flask lying next to Ethan's forearm.

"Nah, Tracy is still insisting that these ridiculous renovations are necessary." Ethan replied, tossing a red three down on a black four. "Personally I thought the Star looked good before. But you know how Tracy is once she gets an idea in her head, and hell…even Luke seems to think it's a good idea. So, in the meanwhile I'm surrounded by construction equipment and all kinds of noise at ungodly hours…what kind of maniac wants to start the day at 6am? I swear mate, if I never hear the sound of a drill again, it'll be too soon."

Johnny laughed, and then grimaced after taking a quick swig and recapping the flask. "Well, I did offer to help you find other accommodations. Why you want to live here is beyond me."

Ethan caught the flask mid-air as Johnny tossed it back to him, laid it back down before picking another card from the top of the deck and scanning the spread of cards before him.

"I happen to enjoy my cabin, thank you very much. Besides, it's actually quite swanky…Tracy had it remodeled a few years back when she and Luke were having a bit of a scrap. You remember, she tossed him out of the Quartermain mansion, and then moved in here herself, to make sure he was well and truly miserable."

"Hmmmm, and then they reconciled right, and took a trip to Paris if I'm not mistaken."

"Correct…dear old dad and my dear stepmother have been happily driving each other mad at the Quartermain mansion ever since. As the Star's Manager, I get first dibbs on the room...which has been great until recently…bloody right mess out there with all those exposed wires and equipment. But we both know you didn't come here to discuss what type of wood the new bar is gonna be made of, or my living accommodations."

"True enough. I came to talk to you about Kristina."

"I figured as much. I suppose I don't need to tell you that something is off about that bloke she introduced us to?" Ethan murmured, before tossing a black nine down over the ten of diamonds.

"Hardly. I don't trust him, and I know you were probably getting the same vibe that I was last night. He's trouble, and whatever it is that he's gotten her into, she's in it up to her pretty little neck." Johnny sighed and eyed Ethan speculatively. Anyone who didn't know him would think that he didn't give a damn about the topic they were discussing; Johnny knew better. "Did you notice how quick she was to stuff that manila envelope into her purse?"

"Hard not to notice; they were both lying through their teeth, but it's hard to tell about what exactly. Something was off with just about everything they said. Hard to pin it down, but I can tell you one thing. The Russian is bad news; I've know scam artists, gamblers, killers…you name it and I've come across it. This guy, he's not someone I'd wanna bump into in a dark alley." Ethan scowled at the cards, and began gathering and re-shuffling them.

Johnny scowled at him and kicked the desk. "Could you stop playing around with those and pay attention. What are we gonna do about this?"

Ethan glanced up and quirked an eyebrow, still shuffling the cards. "Do? Why would we do anything? If she needs help she can just run to daddy or Jason, hell…even Nikolas. Notice how she didn't ask for our help. Generally a good indication that it's not wanted."

"Don't try to feed me that crap. She's our friend, and you're just as worried as I am!"

Ethan scoffed. "No, _**you're**_ her friend…I'm just your associate, remember."

"Don't be a jerk. Look, I don't know what happened between the two of your five years ago, and I've never asked-"

"Which I appreciate."

"However, that doesn't change the fact that you two were great friends for a really long time. Whatever it was can't have negated everything that came before."

Ethan said nothing, redistributing the cards across the table in front of him.

"Dammit Ethan! What the hell is wrong with you? She's in real trouble, and we both know it!" Johnny stood and reached down to snatch the cards from Ethan's hand, glaring at him

Ethan settled back in the desk chair, reached for the flask, took a quick sip, and then placed it in the drawer. "If you're that worried, make some inquires."

"I already have, I'd like you to do the same."

Ethan shrugged, "Sure mate. I'll make some calls this evening; it's no skin off my nose. However I doubt my associates would be running in the same circles as the likes of Aleksandr Sokolov…if that's his real name. Look Johnny, if you're that worried about her, you should talk to Jason. He can take the matter right off your hands. After all, he's her brother in law, and Sam won't want anything happening to her baby sister."

Johnny just stared down at his longtime friend and partner. "You expect me to believe this blasé attitude of yours? What the hell did happen back then, time was you'd have walked into all kinds of trouble for this girl."

"I'm not talking about that, so just don't worry about it; and you know me, I don't want anything bad to happen to her, but it's really none of my business."

Johnny shook his head and tossed the cards back down in front of Ethan. "When you're ready to stop being such an ass, let me know. Call me once you reach your 'associates' and let me know if anything turns up."

"Aye aye", Ethan said tossing a mock salute at Johnny as he exited the office. When the door slammed shut, Ethan closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose in irritation. Then he picked up his cell phone and hit redial.

"Hey mate. It's Ethan again; yeah I know I only called you a few hours ago, but just wanted to check with you and see if you'd run across any information on this Sokolov bastard yet. Goes by both Aleksandr and Sasha…no, like I said Aleksandr…A-L-E-K-S-A-N-D-R." he snapped, scowling down at the cards spread messily across the desk; he reached down, grabbed the King of Spades, and began ripping it into several pieces.

Just what has Krissy gotten herself into now…and why the bloody hell couldn't he make himself stay out of it?


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Kristina had been in town for two full days, and was impressed with Aleksandr's survival instinct; he'd managed to avoid her since that first night at Jakes. Which was fine, she'd intended to let him resurface in his own good time, and then they'd 'discuss' his impromptu ad-libbing.

Waiting for him was no longer possible; she was going to find him today…and he'd better be prepared for some serious retribution!

She'd spent her first full day doing exactly as what she'd described to Johnny. She'd slept until noon, and then had lunch with her mother and her sisters. They'd run into Johnny at Kelly's, who for some reason…had felt absolutely compelled to mention her that her 'boyfriend' was staying at the Metro Court.

He'd smiled at her obvious discomfort as she'd gotten the fifth degree from her mom and Molly. Thankfully Sam and semi-rescued her…but now she was obligated to bring Aleksandr's blasted hide to 'family' dinner. Jason meets Aleksandr…great…just, perfect.

Later that same evening she and Molly had eaten dinner with the rest of her family; her father, Olivia, Dante, Brook Lynn, Michael, Abby, and Morgan. Carly had even swung by after dinner with Jossyln and Jax in tow. Of course, nothing was ever easy. They'd heard about Aleksandr from Molly, who was absolutely 'delighted' to meet the first boy Kristina had ever brought home. Now everyone wanted to meet him.

She was in hell.

She'd been calling Aleksandr every hour on the hour since then…and yesterday evening she'd even gone to his hotel room, but he'd been out. He was bound and determined to ignore her, and give her time and space to calm down; it was an impressive really, all things considered...

Which was how Kristina found herself standing outside Aleksandr's hotel room at the Metro Court, at 6am, on the morning of her third day home; she knew he was in there, and now he was going to pay.

She stood for several seconds simply glaring contemptuously at his door. If he were a more reasonable human being she wouldn't have to be up at such an ungodly hour. No, he really had brought this on himself. With an aggravated sigh, she hitched her purse higher on her shoulder and began to bang mercilessly on his door, as hard and as loud as she could, studiously ignoring the 'Do Not Disturb' sign.

Abruptly the door was yanked open, and a bleary eyed Aleksandr stood staring at her on the other side of the door. He was wearing only a pair of black pajama pants, and his hair was sticking up all over his head in ridiculous disarray.

"_Kristya_, are you alright?" his voice was sleepy, disoriented, and obviously concerned. He knew her well enough to understand that, if she were standing on the other side of his door's peephole at 6am, something seriously wrong.

"You're a dead man Sokolov." She deadpanned, reaching into her handbag and pulling out a pistol. His eyes went round and wide as she pointed it between his eyes and pulled the trigger.

He gasped in disbelief, yelped, and leapt further back into the protection of his room swearing in Russian; mercilessly she followed him inside, still pulling the trigger as she emptied the icy cold spray of the water gun into his face.

Finally out of ammo, she threw the empty purple pistol at him, where it bounced off his shoulder. Taking a deep, calming breath, she pushed her hair behind her ears, as he eyed her incredulously.

"Are you out of your mind!" he finally bellowed.

"No, you ass! But you and I need to talk!" she said, stomping over to the bathroom and returning with a hand towel, which she tossed at him. He snagged it in the air before it could hit him in the face; he looked positively murderous. She grinned impudently at him; good, she was in the mood for a good fight!

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Aleksandr glared at the sociopath sitting on the end of his unmade bed as he wiped water off of his face and arms. He watched as she leaned down and retrieved the water gun from the floor, and jammed it back in her purse. Twisting the damp towel between his hands, he gave serious consideration to strangling her with it.

The predawn light illuminated Kristina's silhouette through the curtains behind her; her arms were crossed tightly across her chest, and she was tapping her foot in obvious agitation. He scowled at her; she scowled back.

"Give me one good reason not to toss you out that window!" Aleksandr demanded as he stomped through the bathroom door and flung the wet towel into sink with unnecessary force, irrationally pleased when it landed with a wet slap against the white tile.

Kristina narrowed her eyes as he stormed across the room, around the bed, and dragged duffel from beneath it.

"You've been avoiding me, and we need to talk!"

"Avoiding you…I can't imagine why." He grumbled acerbically as he dragged a t-shirt out of the bag and tugged it over his head. "Did it ever occur to you _Kristya _that I was avoiding you so that I didn't lose my temper and knock you into next Friday?"

"Next _week_ _Sasha_, not next _Friday_…" she said with a sigh and rubbed a tired had across her eyes "Do you know how much trouble you've caused? Do you have any idea how complicated this situation is now? You were supposed to stick with one of the stories we came up with in Moscow! I told you which one to use at Jakes! We were just two friends who met in Europe last summer, stopping to say 'hi' as you passed through town…that was it; we go our separate ways as far as anyone else is concerned! What happened to your _'never deviate from the plan'_ rule!"

"That _was_ the plan." He snapped, again circling the bed to loom over her, his accent heavier in his anger. "That was a _great_ plan, but I never deviated…you changed the game _Kristya_! _You_ did, and now we've got new rules for new game! No! Don't shake your head and me, you spoiled little brat! You know exactly what you did!"

Kristina leapt to her feet, and then glowered when she had to crane her neck to make eye contact. With a huff she turned and stepped up to stand on the bed, then turned to glare at him…eye to eye.

"Stop trying to intimidate me _Sasha_! And I never deviated from the plan…I followed it to the letter. Do you hear me! To the letter!" When he gave her a skeptical look Kristina held up her hand, counting off…one finger at a time. "We did our recon, we swapped Intel in Moscow, we scattered…"

"And you deviated!" He thundered, grabbing the third finger she'd held up between his thumb and forefinger, wiggling it meaningfully. Kristina snatched her hand back in annoyance. "What part of our plan entailed you sneaking off to Helena's compound in _Kazan_ before returning to Port Charles?"

"That has nothing to do with what we're doing Aleksandr! She wasn't even supposed to be there!"

"But she was! The _plan Kristya _was for you to get to the _Kolyma_ region and do some digging, then return to Port Charles. Not to get caught rifling through the witch's office in _Kazan_! What part of the plan was that?" he demanded, green eyes accusing.

"She wasn't supposed to be there!" she snapped, "I got new Intel that she was going to be out of the country, and I couldn't reach you, so I went on my own. Besides, it's not like she didn't already know that I was looking into her activities! It was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up, but it won't affect anything we already have in motion."

"Not affect…you got caught!" he snarled, grasping her upper arms he gave her a little shake. "She would have killed you for the break in alone _Sestrenka,_ killed you because you were an annoyance, and to hurt your family! But you cut her face, you disfigured her! She considers you as less than nothing, a gnat to be swatted at her leisure, and you humiliated her, wounded her...don't you understand! She isn't merely going to kill you _Kristya_, she isn't that compassionate! Trust me…there are worse things than death, and she knows them all!"

Kristina yanked herself free of his grasp and pushed hard against his shoulders, knocking him at least two full stumbling steps back. She stepped forward, down and off the bed, jabbing her finger into the center of his chest.

"You think I don't know? I've told you, you know what she's done, what she's capable of! I can't let her keep doing this, ruining innocent people, destroying their lives…she keeps doing it, keeps getting away with it, she has to be stopped! Your brother, my family, and now what she's doing to Nikolas…he's…she can't…"

Hearing the tears and despair in her voice, Aleksandr felt the anger drain out of him, and buried his fear for her…then he reached out and wrapped his arms around her tightly, and felt her do the same.

"We'll stop her Kristina, I promise. We'll move forward with our plans, but we have to be more alert now, take more precautions. Stop crying _Sestrenka_, we have to iron out a few things, and make some adjustments, but we're still on track." He patted her back absently, and let her cry herself out. Kristina didn't allow herself to break down often enough, often she bottled things up inside until she couldn't take it anymore, which typically ended in an emotional outburst.

Clearing her throat, Kristina used the heel of her hand to wipe away the tears still clinging to her eyelashes, and then grinned up at Aleksandr. "Well, I certainly feel better…you?"

Her soggy smile made him grin in return. "My shirt is wet…but other than that…"

She laughed out a watery apology, then walked over to her purse and dug out a packet of tissues. "So now that we've cleared the air, care to tell me why you're masquerading as my boyfriend _Bolshoy Brat_?"

"Trust me _Sestrenka_, it's as strange for me as it is for you, but it is necessary. I need to be able stick close to you without anyone asking questions, and this seemed like the simplest way."

Again she laughed, "If you thought that posing as my boyfriend was going to be simple, and keep questions to a minimum, then you've seriously underestimated my family _Sasha_…and keep your lips to yourself, or I swear you'll limp for a month."

Aleksandr make a retching sound as he pulled another shirt and a pair of jeans from his duffle bag.

"There is no need to take the ruse that far Kristina, and I'm not sure I could stomach it," he teased, then paused to smirk at her "besides…the Australian thinking that you're in a 'relationship' might prove to be…enlightening." Kristina glanced menacingly in his direction, and then zipped her purse shut with more force than was necessary.

"Aleksandr, keep your nose out of it. He and I were friends once, but that was a long time ago. Now, he's just a family acquaintance, someone who moves in the same circles that I do."

"And yet, you look at him as I've never seen you look at a man before _Kristya_." He replied, as he headed towards the bathroom to change clothes.

"I barely made eye contact with him!"

"Exactly…" he replied smugly, closing the door in her face.

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.


	13. Chapter 13

Kristina wandered slowly down the stairs leading to Spoon Islands launch, for the first time in her life dreading her trip and the reason behind it. She was going to visit Nikolas and Spencer, to ask Nikolas if he'd be willing to host a family dinner event. If she didn't have ulterior motives, she'd be looking forward to spending some time with them…but this constant lying and all the deception left her feeling guilty. What was the road to hell paved with again?

Brushing snow off a bench she sat down, placed her elbows on her knees and then leaned forward to rest her chin in her gloved hands. She watched the sun set through the snow flurries, her hair brushing across the side of her face…it had been many years since she'd sat on this bench, on this dock. She could still hear the echo of angry voices, still feel the soul deep heartache, and shuddered despite the many layers of clothing that she wore.

Forcing her mind away from the past and into the problems of the present she sighed, wondering why nothing was ever easy. After much brow beating, she'd finally agreed to invite Aleksandr to meet her family. At first she'd thought to suggest that they do the introductions at the Metro Court…which was a much safer alternative for _Sasha_ than her dad's home…she wasn't entirely certain that if he walked into her father's compound he would walk out.

It had been Aleksandr who'd suggested that she ask Nikolas about having it at Wyndemere. He'd pointed out that they could use the party as a smokescreen and search Nikolas's office for information about Helena during the commotion…oh yes, they were definitely expecting his introduction to cause an uproar…hopefully giving them a chance to gather Intel without anyone being the wiser.

Nikolas didn't trust his grandmother any farther than he could throw her, and he was meticulous about tracking her activities, associates, and whereabouts; considering his extensive resources there was a very good chance that he would have information that he didn't know the full implications of, data that could be crucial to them.

Finally, things were beginning to fall into place. In a few days she was confident that theywould hear from _Anfisa Matʹlyubov_…hopefully her contacts would yield the last of the information that they needed. She chuckled silently again over the ridiculous code name…not that _Sestrenka_ or _Bolshoy Brat_ were really any better, though they certainly were less obvious.

A frisson of awareness crept up her spine; hearing someone approaching, Kristina reached into her jacket, but after a tense moment she released her grip on the gun she'd concealed in her pocket. Instead she stood up, forced herself to focus on the outline of Wyndemere against the setting sun, and listened as Ethan descended the stairs behind her.

She'd always been attuned to him, able to identify him just by the prickle along the back of her neck and the sensation that unfurled in her stomach when he was near. It shouldn't still be there after 5 years…why was he still ingrained so deeply in her mind, in her memories, in her heart? Why couldn't she dismiss him as easily and as ruthlessly as he'd dismissed her? And of all the places to run across him…she hated this dock, and wished she could hate the man as well.

She knew the instant he saw her, caught the sudden pause of his footsteps in the crisp snow, and then heard him take one crunching step in uncertain retreat.

"No need to leave on my account Ethan." Kristina forced her voice into an impersonal pitch, and refused to look at him. Her shoulders were stiff, her body language screaming at him to go. "I'm just waiting on the launch."

"Well, then that would make two of us." He replied coolly, eyeing her warily. It was one thing to run into each other around friends and family, on neutral territory…it was something else entirely to come across her here, without someone else to be the buffer between them. He watched as she brushed a gloved hand across her face to tuck a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.

"Really?" she forced herself not to look at him, to keep her eyes fixed on the small boat barely visible in the distance. "Since when are you and Nikolas on such friendly terms, last I heard the two of you didn't much care for each other."

"Nah, I'm actually just waiting on your sister. Sometimes I meet Molly here after she's finished tutoring Spencer, and we go play a few hands of poker up at Kelly's." he responded crossing to the other side of the dock before glancing over at her. She stood quietly, still facing away from him…clearly unhappy with his presence. It was hard to believe that there'd been a time when her face would have lit up at just the sight of him, eyes bright and trusting. It irked him unreasonably that he missed that, that he still missed her.

They stood still as statues in stressed silence for a full minute before Ethan cleared his throat and finally asked "So…how've you been?"

"Don't Ethan. We're not friends, we haven't been anything to each other in a long time, so please just don't…" she said, turning her head to stare intensely at him.

"Don't what Krissy? Don't make polite conversation…it's been five years, can't we just let it go." He muttered in exasperation…gauging her suddenly rigid posture and the hard look in her eyes, he guessed that this was the exact _wrong_ thing to say.

"Of course, you would say that," She snapped, taking two quick steps towards him, her eyes flashing dark fire. "after all…the great, worldly Ethan Lovett, so wise and prolific, knows everything…as always. Is that what you did? Just, let it go?"

"Hey, you're the one that couldn't just leave well enough alone; we were friends, but that just wasn't good enough, you just had to push for more! You're the one who cut off all contact Kristina…the one who took the proverbial sledgehammer to things, so don't take an attitude with me over something that you're responsible for." he snapped, clenching his teeth.

Ethan was surprised to realize that he was furious with her...essentially she'd absconded with the mangled remains of their friendship and disappeared – never giving them the chance to mend it. He'd come to depend on her, on that unshakable trust and friendship, only to have it yanked out from under him. He reigned admirably at his temper, not one to usually give into emotional tirades…but she was pushing it…he had 5 years of resentment rolling around system, and the object of his ire finally within reach.

He noted that her hands were trembling before she jammed them into the pockets of her coat. Clearly annoyed, she thrust her chin into the air—and for an instant she was the same defiant Kristina he'd known forever. Her face and expression suddenly a mirror, echoing that day all those years ago when she'd accused him of lying to her; a quick flash of deja vu that instantly shot him back to that summer, bringing up feelings and emotions that he thought he'd gotten past years ago.

"Bullshit! I'm the one who was honest Ethan. The only one who was honest; I don't know why I was so surprised when you couldn't own up to the truth…you're a professional liar after all. I have wondered, once or twice over the years, if you were just lying to me, lying to yourself, or if you actually can't tell fact from fiction anymore?"

"You were too young for me!" he could feel the tattered remnants of his control slithering from his grasp.

"So you're still a coward and a liar!"

She hadn't been aware of how close she was getting until he suddenly reached out and grabbed her upper arms. She jerked back sharply, but his grasp never loosed and he yanked her a step closer, bringing her flush against him. Kristina narrowed her eyes at him, jerked back again, frustrated that her hands were trapped in her coat pockets. "Let go."

She could feel the intensity of his stare; when he leaned in, her heart rate sped up, and her breathing got heavier. She was trapped. She was surprised to feel just as much excitement as she did anger when she realized how close they were, and how helpless she was. The knowledge wasn't terrifying, as it had always been with Kiefer, it was exhilarating and confusing. Until she remembered that she was angry.

"You-" she broke off, her eyes wide in surprise, then in excitement, when Ethan leaned down, then stilled barely an inch away, his lips hovering sensuously over hers…she could feel his breath against her lips. He didn't move, instead he just stood there, looking at her…if she leaned forward, even an inch -

"You want to talk about honesty?" he murmured, Aussie accent thicker than usual…she was no longer struggling against him, their bodies resting heat to heat. His eyes were drawn to the full pouting lips, unpainted and enticing…she smelled like citrus and vanilla. "Who is Aleksandr, really?"

She blinked in surprise - it was like someone had dumped ice cold water over the top of her head. She stomped down hard on his instep with her booted heel, pivoted and twisted away from him, her eyes hard and her face expressionless. Surprised Ethan released her, stumbled back and nearly lost his balance; foot throbbing he glared at her.

"Aleksandr is someone I love and trust…someone I can depend on. Keep your distance Ethan, it's better for everyone…we're bound to run into each other every now and then, but that doesn't mean we're friends." Kristina warned him.

"Kristina! Ethan!" they both glanced over to see Molly waving from the Spoon Island launch as it docked. She clambered out quickly and fairly flew to their sides. Despite everything Kristina couldn't stop a smile from spreading across her face. Molly was everything that was good and right about the world…just seeing her improved her mood.

Ethan watched as Molly leaned down and flung her arms around her sister, dropping her backpack in the process. The smile that bloomed on Kristina's face was beautiful and genuine as she wrapped her arms around her younger, albeit taller sister…she really was a beautiful woman. He reached down and picked up Molly's book bag, frowning as he settled it over his own shoulder.

"This thing ways more than you do Molly! You're gonna hurt yourself carting this thing around!" he warned, wincing…the weight of the thing was ridiculous.

"Oh, no Ethan I've got it, really!" she turned quickly and tried to reach for the bag, but he back stepped with a grin.

As Molly squabbled with Ethan over the right to carry her backpack, Kristina felt the nasty sting of jealousy burn in her chest. Rationally she knew that Molly loved Ethan like a brother, and that Ethan felt the same. Unfortunately her emotions had never leaned towards rational; to have missed that bond that she'd shared with Ethan so much, for so long, and to see him so at ease with her sister brought a shameful envy to the forefront of her thoughts. The sudden jingle of Molly's phone interrupted her train of thought.

"Sorry…it's Spencer. I told him to call me if he had any more questions about his essay!" Molly said, digging her phone out of her pocket.

"That's fine, how bout I meet you up at Kelly's in a minute or so, that way you can help Spencer while your sister and I finish our conversation."

"Great!" Neither Kristina nor Ethan missed the speculative look that Molly shot at them, or the grin on her face as she answered her phone and turned to jog up the stairs …but they both ignored it.

"A little young for you isn't she?" Kristina sneered, immediately horrified at the words that spilled from her mouth as soon as Molly was out of ear shot... Ethan's eyes gleamed dangerously in the twilight.

"I'm not interested in children" he snapped "you of all people should be able to remember that"

Her eyes flared and her mouth tightened...why was it that he seemed to bring the worst out in her? She hadn't felt like an insecure child for years…at least not until today.

"I'm sorry, that was uncalled for. I know you care about Molly, I don't know why I keep trying to provoke you." she sighed, sifting her fingers through her hair in agitation. "Let's just, try avoiding each other Ethan; it's worked out pretty well for us so far." She bit nervously at her lower lip, drawing his attention to her mouth once again.

Logic told him that she was right, seeing her threw him, messed with his head, made him think and feel things that were best left alone and unexamined. Then again, maybe it was time to roll the dice…he'd played this hand once before and lost it all…maybe it was time to recoup his loss.

"No chance." His voice was low, barely a whisper, and she was startled when he reached out to tuck a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. He let his fingertips drift softly around the shell of her ear, across her jaw, down the side of her neck, and she shivered…they both knew it wasn't because of the cold. "You haven't been a child for a long time Krissy. I'll see you…soon."

Kristina wasn't sure if that was a threat or a promise, but whichever it was…she was smart enough to be worried. She'd waited years for him to look at her like this. Now that he had…she understood why people said to be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

As she climbed into the launch, Kristina glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Ethan disappear around the corner. Maybe he hadn't meant anything by it, or maybe he was just messing with her; hell…maybe she was just imagining things, but if she wasn't…she'd peaked Ethan Lovett's interest at the worst possible time. Why could nothing ever go according to plan?

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anifisa_ - Flower

_Matʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ - love

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.


	14. Chapter 14

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

Aleksandr sighed and turned to face Kristina just outside Jake's. Giving her a pointed look he reached out and snagged her hand. Expression playful, he tugged her arm down so that it looked as though they were simply holding hands.

"Stop playing with your hair _Kristya_, you keep tucking and un-tucking it from behind your ear. You know that this is a tell, a nervous habit…I thought we broke you of this _Sestrenka_."

With a defeated moan she flung her head forward, banged her forehead into his chest, and mumbled _"we're doomed"_ against his jacket. She felt his chest rumble with laughter as he raised his other hand, placed his palm against her forehead, which looked very much like he was taking her temperature, and pushed her head back lightly.

"We'll be fine _Kristya_. We have done other undercover assignments, so this will be no different." He assured her, taking his palm away from her face, grinning when her head flopped listlessly forward once more.

"Come now Kristina, talk to me. _Sestrenka_ have you not realized that there is no obstacle that we cannot overcome as a team." Aleksandr assured her, careful to force his smile away as she lifted her head and glared at him, expression bleak.

"This is different _Sasha, _it's not difficult to put on a façade and play a part when you're dealing with strangers…but this is my family. People who I love, and who love me, who've watched me grow up and seen me through the best and worst moments of my life. They're going to know!" He could hear the warble in her voice, the genuine distress, and frowned.

"Kristina, there is nothing to worry about. We are prepared for this, we have our story straight and know all of our facts. That aside, we know each other, so I will be prepared for anything unexpected, as will you. We also have another full day before we go to Spoon Island, so just relax. "

"But-"

"No, no buts. Trust me _Kristya, _we have everything covered. I know you don't want to lie to them, but what we are doing is to keep them safe, and to stop Helena. Surely this will keep you focused…and after all, it is not such a great lie. You are the most important person to me…a small, annoying person with a strange weakness for chocolate, but important nonetheless. We will be fine, just keep your eye on the pride." He raised an eyebrow when she gripped his hand tighter and giggled

"Prize Sasha, prize…not pride." Suddenly she threw her head back and laughed, and he could see her breath in the chill air. Finally she took a deep breath, her head still tipped back, and eyes still closed. He could feel her gathering her courage, watched as she pulled herself together; in the end he knew she would come through, as she always did.

"You're right, I'm sorry. We've been through worse, much worse." She finally tilted her head back up and opened her eyes. "We can do this, I mean, we have another full day, so what's really the worst that could happen?" As she spoke, her smile returned, and he tugged lightly on their clasped hands so that they were tucked up against his side, near his chest as they turned to face the door.

"Your father could try to shoot me." He suggested with a conspiratorial wink. She glanced at him, and gave a brief nervous laugh, before winking back.

"No, the worst thing would be him asking Jason to shoot you…and I'm sorry, but my money is on Jason." With a deep uncharacteristic laugh he pulled their joint hands up to his mouth and kissed the back of her hand…just as the door opened.

Sam stepped out of Jakes to make a quick call then froze when she came face to face with Kristina and a man she could only assume was Aleksandr. She watched as they tensed, didn't miss the instinctual twitch of his free hand, as if he were going to reach for a weapon before he caught himself; slowly he lowered Kristina's hand back to the crook of his elbow and sent Sam a blinding smile.

The world seemed to slow for an instant as Sam realized that this was no college sweetheart or European fling that her sister had brought home. When Johnny had bragged with almost sadistic glee that he and Ethan had met Kristina's boyfriend, it had been more than a little surprising. Kristina never talked about anyone special, not since Kiefer, but now Sam could see why Johnny had looked so smug and why Kristina had looked so nervous.

Aleksandr appeared to be around Kristina's age, but he towered over both of them; he was at least as tall as Jason, with striking features. He was attractive in a primal way, despite the scar that cut a perfect line down the left side of his face. This combined with his darker than sin hair and impressive build…he could have been pulled from any woman's darkest fantasy. Kristina bringing home some tall dark and handsome man, this Sam might have expected, after all it did seem to run in the family. The Davis women seemed drawn to dangerous men…but there was dangerous and then there was deadly.

In that first unguarded instant when their eyes locked, a shiver had skittered down Sam's spine and her heart had dropped like a lead weight in her chest; his eyes spoke more eloquently than anything he or Kristina might say. She recognized Aleksandr for what he was and what he could do. Despite the charming smile that spread across his face, and his devilish good looks, the man holding her little sister's hand was a killer.

"Sam!" releasing Aleksandr's arm Kristina stepped forward and wrapped her arms welcomingly around her. Kristina felt Sam's hesitation before the embrace was returned, and noted that her sister's gaze never wavered from _Sasha_. Taking a deep breath she plastered a smile to her face and stepped back, gesturing from one to the other. "Sam, this is my boyfriend Aleksandr, Aleksandr, my older sister Sam."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Sam, I've heard much about you from Kristina. She speaks of you often, and with great affection." Sam watched as he extended his hand, and after a brief moment of hesitation felt herself do the same. Her heart constricted when Kristina smiled brightly at her and stepped back to Aleksandr, grasping his hand tightly.

"It's great to meet you Aleksandr, but I wonder if I could steal my sister away for just a quick minute before you head in? I was actually just getting ready to call her …" Sam grinned and waved her cell phone at the two of them, her eyes still fixed on Aleksandr's.

"Actually Sam, we should probably get inside." Kristina replied as she tugged Aleksandr around her and grasped the door knob seemingly oblivious to the tension. "I'm totally starving, but we'll talk later I promise...unless you want to eat dinner with us." Noticing Sam's hesitation, she gave her a quick carefree grin "C'mon Sam, this'll give you a chance to get to know _Sasha_."

"Oh no…sorry, I actually have some business to take care of…what I needed to talk to you about can wait. You two go ahead and I'll see you later." Sam promised, smiling through her fear. All traces of the predator she'd just seen in Aleksandr's eyes was gone. His smile seemed kind and genuine, his eyes no longer held the same hard dangerous edge, and had she not seem him a few minutes ago, in that one unguarded moment of surprise, she might have bought his handsome European boyfriend act. Probably not, but maybe.

"Ok, see ya later!" Kristina said cheerfully as she yanked open the door and stepped inside, dragging Aleksandr behind her. As soon as it closed behind them, her smile vanished and she turned to look up at him. "We're in trouble."

When the door slammed shut behind them, Sam raked her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath…this was bad. She flipped her phone open, scrolled through the numbers, and then dialed one she'd never needed to call before.

"Hey, it's Sam. Listen I need to see you, now. No…now! I just met Kristina's boyfriend and – no that's fine. I'm at Jakes so I'll see you in a few minutes." She glanced back briefly at Jake's before hanging up and making a B-line for the Haunted Star.

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anifisa_ - Flower

_Matʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ - love

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.


	15. Chapter 15

"Look alive Ethel, hop to it, on your feet, we're about to have company." Johnny barked as he strode into the Haunted Star. Ethan glanced up from behind the newly finished bar, and then rolled his eyes. Johnny looked entirely too cheerful…which generally meant that one or both of them was about to be shot at.

"Listen mate I'm in a foul mood, a bit busy, and more than a little hung over, so-"

"It can wait, trust me. I was on my way over here to talk to you when I got a very interesting phone call." Johnny said, tossing his cell from one had to the other.

"Something lucrative I hope?" Ethan asked as he reached out to clasp Johnny on the shoulder, then turned as if to lead him back towards the office. Johnny laughed and instead leaned back against the bar, which earned him a puzzled look from Ethan.

"Like I said, we're about to have some company, and I think it would be best to wait for her here until she arrives. It would be rude to expect her to navigate this mess on her own." Johnny said, looking around pointedly at the 'work in progress' that was currently the Haunted Star…he was sounding entirely too chipper.

Ethan narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Who her?"

"That would be me." Sam said marching down the stairs towards them. "I want to know everything you know about Aleksandr Sokolov."

From behind the bar Ethan groaned pitifully, mashing his face into his palms. "I'm too sober for this."

Sam walked past him, heading in the direction of the office. "That's fine, I need a drink anyway."

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anifisa_ - Flower

_Matʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ - love

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.


	16. Chapter 16

"He doesn't exist, as far as I can tell." Johnny said, pouring both himself and Sam a glass of Jack on the rocks. "I've spent the last few days searching for any record of him…and all that I've been able to turn up is a few grainy shots of a guy that may or may not be him near an estate in Moscow. Aleksandr Sokolov doesn't have a credit history, any homes, cars, bank accounts…nothing that I've been able to find, so far."

"Ok – well that's _supremely_ unhelpful." Sam groused, flopping down into the leather chair across from Ethan…who sat on the other side of the desk rubbing at his temples.

"Not entirely…it means he's actively been covering his tracks. So either Aleksandr Sokolov is an alias, or he's been living off the grid, pretty successfully." Ethan said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"We both have feelers out on this," Johnny said, gesturing towards Ethan and sitting down across from Sam in the second leather chair, "but so far we're not coming up with much…our people aren't amateurs…so neither is he. You need to get Sonny and Jason in on this; with all of us looking – something's bound to turn up."

"I agree...Nikolas too; he has contacts in Europe." Sam said, taking a gulp of her drink before sitting the glass down and turning a speculative eye on Johnny. "Why didn't you say something before now? Obviously you thought something was off after you met him…why play games?"

He shrugged, settling back deeper into his chair. "I was interested in seeing how he and Kristina reacted." Sam frowned, and opened her mouth to say something but Johnny cut her off.

"No, think about it. I don't think she meant for Ethan and I to meet him that first night at Jakes…if Coleman hadn't said something I doubt we would have. Then later, if I hadn't said something about him to you and Alexis, I don't think Kristina would have mentioned him either. She's been very secretive…but I'm not sure why."

"You think she's in trouble?" Sam asked, thinking back on how Kristina had been behaving since Johnny had brought up Aleksandr that first day…if she was in trouble, why wouldn't she come to them for help…too many things weren't adding up.

"Maybe we're looking into the wrong person." Ethan suggested, rifling through his desk for a bottle of aspirin.

"What do you mean?" Johnny asked, crunching on a piece of ice. Before he could respond, Sam laid two aspirin down on the desk in front of Ethan, who grabbed them up with a grateful smile and quickly downed them with Scotch.

"He means that if we can't find information on Sokolov directly, we need to look into him indirectly…you wanna investigate Kristina?" Sam said, eyeing Ethan speculatively.

"It makes sense…he's 'supposedly' someone she says she's known for a while, so we work backwards from where they met….find out who he is that way." Johnny agreed. Ethan nodded, glancing over at Sam.

"I can go through the postcards and letters she's sent me…moms and Molly's too…see if we can get a timeline. She says they met last summer in Europe…we can use what we do know and see where their path's first crossed. She's spent a lot of time overseas thanks to her GPA and that 'Study Abroad' program she enrolled in her freshman year…so it may take some time."

"Well, it's a start..." Johnny murmured frowning at Ethan – who was resting with his forehead flat on his desk…it'd been a while since he'd seen him this hungover.

"We're going to be having a big family dinner tomorrow at Wyndemere…how do you guys feel about seafood?" Sam asked…Ethan moaned pitifully and turned a bit green, but Johnny grinned.

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anifisa_ - Flower

_Matʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ - love

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.

Sorry it's been a while since I last updated, I'll try to have a few more chapters out soon. I just got a new job, and moved to a new apartment…life is hectic…what else can I say. Also…if anyone knows what the real Cassadine motto is – please let me know.


	17. Chapter 17

"Amaliya, make sure that Talia is practicing her alphabet in Greek _and_ Russian. She should be reciting both of them with the same ease as the English alphabet. I won't have her slacking off just because of the relocation, her routine is important. Both you and she must be diligent…I understand that she's just a little girl, but she's also a Cassadine. Now please put her on the phone." Helena sat on her private jet, admiring the most recent picture she'd had taken with her great-granddaughter. Thankfully the child looked like her father, sharing his dark coloring; she was truly a stunning child.

"Hello Talia, my darling; how are you? Wonderful, well when I return I'll bring you a surprise and tell you a new story, perhaps about your ancestor Stanislaus Cassadine…I would love to hear you sing my precious one, but grandmother must be going, her plane is about to land. I'll call you tomorrow night and you can sing to me then. Yes, put your mother back on the phone." The girl was absolutely darling; it was a shame that she was a female, instead of the male heir Helena had been hoping for.

"Amaliya, I'm not certain when I'll be returning. Please remember that the two of you are not to leave the compound, it's too dangerous. Anything you need can be brought to you, until I've dealt with the issue of your safety. Have the doctors said anything new about your memory loss? Well, perhaps it's for the best that you don't remember; I'm sorry that my grandson has become such a monster…but you have my word… Nikolas won't be able to harm you or Talia ever again. Yes, I'll let you know…goodbye."

After the call ended, Helena looked down on Port Charles from the plane window; had she known all those years ago what trouble Alexis's whelp would be…the girl would have met a tragic accident much earlier in life – one that could have been blamed on her father or his business. As it was, getting rid of the girl would be much easier now that she'd returned to Port Charles; the plan was beautiful in its simplicity…and no one would ever connect her to Kristina's murder.

It was a shame that Talia would never know her father, but it was for the best. Nikolas was unwilling to embrace his true nature and his Cassadine heritage; Talia would not be exposed to such weakness. She would be raised under Helena's tutelage and would be the one to protect the Cassadine legacy once her grandmother was gone. As for her unfortunate mother…Amaliya had been living on borrowed time for years, and would soon outlive her usefulness.

As the Cassadine family creed said…

"_**Nemo me impune lacessit**_"…No one provokes me with impunity.

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anifisa_ - Flower

_Matʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ - love

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.


	18. Chapter 18

"It's not possible." Sam was shaken by the look of disbelief and growing horror on her mother's face; the defiant heartbreak in Alexis's expression said more than any words ever could.

"Alexis is right; there's been some kind of mistake." Sonny leaned forward to more closely examine one of the many documents Sam had laid before occupants seated around Sonny's dining room table. Olivia was still looking confused as she sat down on the arm of Sonny's chair and wrapped a supportive arm around his tense shoulders.

"Sam and I called in every contact we have, so have Nikolas, Ethan, and Johnny. There's no mistake." The quite finality of Jason's voice was like a gunshot in the too silent dining room. Sam reached out and tightly grasped his hand, running her thumb lightly across the wedding band beneath her fingers; Jason returned the gesture, and Sam took comfort in his unwavering support and strength.

"No, no, no…oh God." Alexis dug into her purse with shaking hands, pulling out a wad of tissues that she used to wipe at the tears streaking down her face.

Carly, who was seated next to Alexis, reached out to place a consoling hand on her shoulder. Alexis tensed for a brief moment before she reached up to tightly grasp Carly's hand. Olivia, Carly, and Alexis…three women who were so different, and who had come from such completely dissimilar backgrounds, had forged a friendship of sorts over the years. They understood what it was to be the mother of a Corinthos child, and had learned to respect and rely on each other. Sam knew that her mother would need their support now.

Alexis and Sonny were not the only one's taking this badly.

Dante was flipping from one document to the next, obviously looking for any other explanation; the cop in him unable to convince the brother in him that the incriminating evidence was solid.

Michael had crinkled several of the papers beneath a clenched fist, his expressions alternating between confusion and anger; finally his death grip loosened and he let the damning documents fall into a crumpled mass on the table before him.

"She's hasn't been a student at Yale since her freshman year…you're sure?" Dante asked flipping to a new page of the packet he was reviewing.

"She was surprisingly good at covering her tracks, but after her first semester abroad through Yale, she submitted transfer papers and began to attend classes through the University of Glasgow, where she finally earned her "Doctor of Psychology" two weeks ago." Sam said, surprised when her mother shot to her feet and began to pace around the room.

"This would be the 'Psy.D' degree that she supposedly earned from Yale…where she hasn't actually gone since her freshman year?" Alexis asked, voice warbling.

"Right…" before Sam could say more, Alexis let out a nearly hysterical laugh and marched back to her seat, and began to flip through several papers.

"So you're telling me that all the report cards, and social events calendars," one by one she slammed each document down on the table, "all the letters and progress reports…these were all faked?" Sam nodded, then watched as her mother stood on shaky legs, marched across the room, uncapped the scotch and poured herself a drink.

"That doesn't make any sense," Sonny said, resting his forehead in his hands, elbows planted firmly on the table in front of him before looking up. "…she wouldn't have the resources to pull this off." He reasoned.

"It looks like it was surprisingly simple actually…" Alexis said, pouring a second drink and quickly downing it before she gestured with one hand between Sonny and herself. "…and the best part is….we gave her the tools and the opportunities to do it."

"We did?" Sonny asked, looking doubtful. When Alexis nodded enthusiastically, grinning manically at him…Sonny threw up his hands and demanded "How?"

Alexis retook her seat and pulled her glasses down from the top of her head to squint at several documents before she quickly passed them to Sonny. "See these?"

"Yeah, they're her bank statements…for her account in New Haven, Connecticut." He said passing them back to her.

"Right; and do you remember what she asked us to do after her freshman year?" Alexis didn't wait for a response; instead she answered her own question. "She wanted us to deposit her tuition into her bank account directly, so that she could pay Yale herself, directly. To 'build' her credit….well, please someone correct me if I'm getting this wrong…but it looks to me like she was funneling the money to an offshore account and then paying the University of Glasgow."

"That's pretty much what it looked like to me too..." Johnny agreed, brow furrowed "...as for the forged papers from Yale…" he glanced at Ethan, who sat forward a bit at his partners prompting and cleared his throat.

"The forgeries are good…right down to the correct letterhead and stamps that were used. It looks like she was using a professional." At the look of desolation on Alexis and Sonny's faces Ethan quickly continued "But…if it makes any difference, the grades and courses are the actual scores and classes from the University of Glasgow. Those were real."

"Well, I guess that's something." Alexis said sarcastically, taking off her glasses and waving them dramatically around while slouching down into Sonny's dining room chair. "She's been lying about where she went to school, what county she's been living in, pretty much everything she's said and done for the last four years…but she's made excellent grades at the school I was paying for, but didn't know she was attending. I'm so proud."

"Mom -" Again Alexis cut Sam off.

"No, don't 'mom' me. I mean…what kind of parents are we…what kind of idiots does this make us?" she asked, turning a desperate eye on Sonny.

"Alexis, we didn't do anything wrong. We helped move her in her freshman year, we did the parents day thing and went to class with her, we helped her pick out her classes and her meal plan, and we were getting reports from Yale – positive reports - that looked authentic. As for her being out of the country – she was accepted in the 'Study Abroad' program…what were we supposed to think…we trusted Kristina…this isn't our fault." Sonny defended, reaching out to place a comforting hand on Alexis's forearm. She covered his hand with her own and then glanced around the table, her gaze finally coming to rest on her oldest child.

"So," Alexis said, taking a deep breath, "she moved out of the country and went to school in Glasgow…and you think she's involved with something illegal?" at this Sam shook her head and shrugged a bit, looking over at Nikolas.

"That's where things get a bit more complicated Alexis." Nikolas said, taking a sip of water. "After Sam, Ethan, and Johnny came to Jason and I with this, we used every resource we have both here in the US, and in Europe…and came up with almost nothing. She's as much a ghost as this Aleksandr Sokolov…I mean…" he floundered, looking around for support.

"It's odd…" Ethan said picking up where Nikolas left off, "she's obviously got connections throughout Europe, but they're not talking. We mention her name or Sokolov, and they clam up all together."

"We did find this…it's a medical report from three years ago…" Jason said, holding up a fax. "…from a hospital in Russia. A girl calling herself _Kristya Sokolov_ checked her 'brother' into the emergency room. According to the notes in the file, he'd been trying to stop a mugging and had been cut with a knife. The wound was on the left side of his face, but by the time the police arrived both he and his 'sister' had disappeared."

"Sokolov…well, obviously she's known him for longer than a year." Olivia said.

"I found this; it's a video from a Casino in France…eleven months ago." Ethan turned his laptop around, and hit the play button. The video was of a Blackjack game, where Kristina sat in a green formfitting dress…chatting with Aleksandr and another woman with red hair who was wearing a black dress; the woman's face was turned strategically away from the camera. After a few hands, the unknown woman gathered her purse and left; Aleksandr and Kristina soon followed her example and the video cut to black.

"The guy who got this to me said that there should be more video, but strangely enough, almost all the tapes from this day are missing." Ethan said, turning the laptop back around, before glancing over at Johnny.

"One of my guys in Italy turned up this." Johnny declared, passing a series of grainy traffic cam pictures around the table. They were of Kristina sitting outside a restaurant, a camera in her hand….apparently sightseeing. "They're from an police investigation…taken about six months ago. The police weren't able to identify the thief, or even what was stolen, but the building she was taking pictures of was a bank…and three days after the camera picked these up, it was robbed. The only thing taken was the contents of one safety deposit box…" he trailed off, unsure if finishing that sentence would make the information better or worse.

"These are what really have us concerned." Nikolas sighed before handing several pictures to his aunt, who glanced through them with a confused expression on her face, before she passed them to Sonny. "As you know I keep a close eye on Helena; although she's fairly adept at escaping my surveillance teams."

"What's this got to do with Kristina?" Sonny demanded, leaning over as if to hand the photo's back to Nikolas, who waved him off. The stack of pictures depicted Helena getting out of a limo with a briefcase…going into a building, then coming back out…minus the briefcase. The last picture was of Helena smugly waving at the photographer.

"Look behind Helena…behind the cab in the background." Nikolas said, gesturing to the photos. Sonny, looking both skeptical and annoyed, but did as he was directed…then his gaze shot back up to Nikolas, quickly over to Jason, and then immediately back to the photograph.

"Is that Kristina?" Sonny demanded, flipping to the next picture.

Alexis shot to her feet, came around behind Sonny and snatched one of the photos out of his grasp. "Oh my God."

"The only reason I knew to pull that particular picture out of my files is because of the one Johnny just showed you." Nikolas said as Sonny and Alexis squinted at the photographs. "The bank where the safety deposit box was robbed…that's the building that Helena's coming out of…and that's Kristina in the background, holding the camera. Now…if you look at the cab driver…its Aleksandr Sokolov."

The silence in the room was deafening in the wake of Nikolas's announcement. Alexis slowly retook her seat, still clutching several of the pictures to her chest.

"So…what you're telling me is that Kristina's somehow involved with this Sokolov _and_ that Helena Cassadine is tangled up in this mess too?" Sonny snapped, face and expression devoid of all emotion but anger.

"Call Luke." The demand came from Alexis, who glanced down the table at Ethan. "Get your father on the phone right now, and tell him I need his help to deal with Helena." Ethan nodded, excusing himself to make the call.

"Are you sure Alexis?" Nikolas asked.

"Positive…if we're dealing with Helena, we need Luke. We're also short on time…we're all supposed to meet at Wyndemere in a few hours…I think it would be best if Luke were there…and the children weren't." Alexis said, looking around the table. "I'll tell Molly that once we get to Wyndemere, she and Morgan can take Spencer and the rest of the children up to the East Wing."

Ethan came striding back into the room to find several people nodding at Alexis, who glanced up at him expectantly, though it was Sonny who spoke.

"Well?' the mob boss demanded.

"Luke says he'll be here soon, but that you'd better have enough Cubans to make it worth his while." Ethan responded. Sonny grinned.

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anifisa_ - Flower

_Matʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ - love

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.


	19. Chapter 19

Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments and reviews. There aren't words to express how much I appreciate them, or how they keep me going! Here's a longer chapter...this one is really only Aleksandr and Kristina – but I love how they interact. There are Ethina scenes soon…I promise…but I don't wanna rush the story just to get to them. Once we get everyone (the characters) up to speed, they'll be a lot more Ethan and Kristina interaction…you're gonna be shocked once you find out what's going on with Kristina and how Helena's involved. Here's a hint – it's all about Nikolas. ;) Then again, with Helena, when is it not? I'm also working on a music video for this fic, so hopefully it'll be posted to YouTube soon…once it is I'll definitely let you know! Please keep reviewing – I'm gonna get working on the next chapter soon.

Chapter 19

"You're being ridiculous." Aleksandr said in Russian as he stood calmly in the chill evening air, waiting for the launch that would take them to Wyndemere. They had agreed to speak in Russian whenever possible to deter eavesdropping, especially when discussing sensitive information. "No one is going to shoot me."

"No…I'm being realistic…you're the one who's being ridiculous!" her tone was derisive, and just this side of petulant. "You saw how Sam looked at you yesterday _Sasha_! By now she's had time to do a serious background check on you!"

"Naturally." He said it so casually, so nonchalantly that Kristina could feel, actually feel, a migraine creeping up the back of her skull. Aleksandr manfully resisted the urge to toss his partner into the freezing cold water when she launched a snowball at the back of his head. Instead he settled for a scathing look, which she scoffed at; his glare had stopped grown men – killers - in their tracks, and yet Kristina seemed completely immune...it was both fascinating and irritating.

"That's all you have to say 'naturally'. Are you out of your mind?" her voice sounded shrill, even to her own ears, but she didn't care. "Without surprise on our side…we're screwed _Sasha_! If Sam's looking into you, then she's enlisted Nikolas and Jason, possibly Dante! I don't care how well we've covered your tracks…eventually they'll find a way to track you down."

"They would need to be told eventually _Kristya_. It was inevitable."

"Why can't you panic, just a little bit, like a normal human being?" She took a deep calming breath as the boat docked; out of habit, she accepted _Sasha's_ hand after he stepped onto the launch and reached out to steady her. As they cast off and the ship cut expertly through the waves to Spoon Island, Kristina tried to set aside her nerves…but she had a terrible feeling that things were about to go horribly, terribly awry. Her suspicions were confirmed moments later when Aleksandr tugged her towards the back of the boat, as far from the driver as they could get.

"_Kristya_, I need you to take a deep calming breath." Still speaking in Russian, his tone was calm and confident…and the sound of that forced calm sent her right into panic mode. He was only ever this deliberately calm when they were in serious trouble. The last time she's heard that tone of voice, he'd told her that they needed to exit a moving vehicle, going about 60 miles per hour.

"Why?" her tone was dangerous and he could literally see the wheels in her head spinning; he hoped he'd timed this correctly. Perhaps he should have prepared her…but if he had, he was almost certain that they'd already be on a plane out of Port Charles. They were too close to their goal to stop now…and perhaps it was time to call in the cavalry. Helena was on the move, and he was having no luck in locating her; all that he knew about her told him that she was preparing to strike…and she wasn't coming for him. Not yet.

"First Kristya, I need you to count to 10." Was it his imagination, or had her eye just twitched?

"You want me to count?" she asked, disbelief warring with apprehension. He nodded, looking entirely too somber…so she did as he asked.

"Fine…1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10..." she looked at him expectantly.

"Your family…they know about me, and you. I'm not sure how much information they have gathered, or what they've pieced together…"

"That's not funny Aleksandr."

"It was not intended to be. I have received several warnings from multiple European contacts, including _Anfisa Matʹlyubo;_ inquiries have been made. First regarding me, but more recently regarding you." He could see the panic in her eyes…watched as she slowly lowered herself to the cushioned bench behind them, every bit of color draining from her face.

"Continue counting." He demanded, the tone of his voice brooking no argument…but he sounded so far away… he said something else, but she didn't hear him…could hear nothing but the pounding of her heart, and the roar of the ocean. A weight settled on Kristina's chest, born of panic and desperation, of fear and a terrible anxiety. Her eyes glazed and shot from side to side, she was trapped...there was nowhere to go; what would they say, what would they do? She felt like she was suffocating, her breathing became even more labored, chest heaving under the strain of pulling air into her lungs; her knees felt weak and her vision blurred.

"_Kristya_…" She was shuddering now, shoulders trembling; Aleksandr suppressed the urge to comfort and sooth. They did not have the luxury of time…she could not have a full blown panic attack now. He'd seen her like this only once before…and recalled what had brought her out of it then. Firming his resolve and hardening his heart, he turned to kneel in front of her, blocking the boat captain's view; he brought them to eye level, and then he slapped her briskly across the face, snapping her head to the side.

She gasped, the sting of the blow snapping her out of the cage that her mind had tried to lock her in. Their eyes locked, green to brown; he regretted the sight of the lightly red palm print that stood out sharply against her natural skin tone, but was relieved to see that her eyes were clear.

"Count _Kristya_…calm yourself." She gripped his hand tightly, and shut her eyes…doing as he asked.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10...10, 9, 8, 7, 6 ,5, 4, 3, 2, 1…" she continued her mantra for nearly a full minute, until she felt that she'd managed to compartmentalize the panic and lock it away; there would be time later to give into it. Again she opened her eyes, to find Sasha still staring at her; she smiled at him. He returned the gesture and reached an apologetic hand up to her face, guilt gnawing at him as she winced a bit and reached into her purse to dig for her makeup compact.

He remained kneeling in front of her while she rubbed, powdered, and scrubbed her face with all kinds of dubious looking sponges, puffs, and brushes; her purse was a enigmatic and intimidating mystery…and it weighed more than a small car. Finally she packed it all back away, took a deep breath, and asked him "Well?"

She was still pale, and he was sure that the artfully covered red print on her face would later darken into a bruise; she bruised easily…but for the moment, she had managed to compose herself.

"You look lovely _Sestrenka_."

"Thank you _Bolshoy Brat_." She smiled at him, but he caught the evil glint in her eye a moment too late. She hooked one of her booted feet around the back of his ankle, yanking her foot forward just as she shoved him backwards with both of her palms flat against his chest. Already off balance because of his crouched position, she toppled him over backwards with little effort.

There was a sadistic glee that distorted her normally lovely features as she leaned forward and picked up the half empty container of cigarettes that had fallen out of his jacket pocket. Still looking him dead in the eye, she crushed the pack in her small fist and then tossed them over the side of the small boat; he scowled at her from the boats floor.

"That was uncalled for." He grunted, and drug himself off the floor and back up to sit beside her on the cushioned bench.

"You lied to me. You've been lying all damn day." He resisted the urge to tell her that she was slurring her words; her Russian always suffered when she became angry.

"I was not lying…I was omitting." He defended, glancing towards Wyndemere. They would arrive soon. She followed his gaze; her expression became even more thunderous, if that was even possible.

"We're not done with this conversation Aleksandr." Kristina warned him and he nodded his understanding; she sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Obviously suggesting that we get the nice gentleman who's driving the boat to take us back is out of the question; otherwise you'd have said something earlier. So…how do you want to play this?"

"My first instinct is to wait and see what they do _Kristya_. We'll take our queues from them." She nodded her assent, even though it sounded like a terrible plan, at least to her.

"They're not idiots _Sasha_." She warned, genuinely concerned for him and his well-being; it was bad enough that she was afraid of what they would _say_ to her. But what they could _do_ to Sasha…twisting around she threw both of her legs up and over his thighs, using him as a foot rest.

"I understand the danger _Kristya_."

"I don't think you do; you're judging them based on funny family stories I've told you, things I've let slip, and what you've read in the papers…files and reports…I don't think you've thought this through, and that's not like you. Tonight we're going to be trapped on an island with my father - the most prominent mob boss on the Eastern Seaboard. My mother – Graduate of Yale Law School, top of her class….former DA …daughter of Mikkos Cassadine; also…both of my parents have been arrested for – but not convicted of murder - on more than one occasion. Not to mean they weren't guilty, they just got away with it."

"I am aware _Kristya_." She nudged him after this remark, thumping his chest with her knee.

"Putting them aside…there's my hitman brother-in-law Jason Morgan, who'd do anything my overprotective older sister asked him to…he's employed by said domineering, sexist, mobster father. Favorite cousin – Nikolas – heir to the Cassadine Empire…he could give my dad a run for his money when it comes to scary connections. Also, my oldest brother Dante…he's a cop…other older brother Michael, powerful business executive with serious connections. Ex-stepmother Carly Jacks – she can spot a con or a lie better than anyone I've ever met – probably because she's a pro at both. Then there's Molly – our sweet little genius. She'll pound you with question after question, and file it all away in her amazing brain, and then the first time we slip up – she'll call us on it. Not to be mean or malicious, but because that's just how she's wired…_and I_ was worried about all of this before I knew that they _knew…_"

"There's nothing to be done about it now Kristina. We're nearly there, and the way things have progressed, we need to adapt. Better to bring them on board now and give them time to adjust. We may need their support, and we could use their connections."

"That's what I'm trying to tell you. They won't help us _Sasha_! They'll try to take over, in spite of all we know and all we've done. All they're going to see or hear is that they've been lied to and deceived. Honestly I can't blame them…and Nikolas…if he finds out what's going on before we're ready…" she trailed off. It didn't bear thinking about.

"We'll crochet that bridge when we get to it _Kristya_."

It took a moment for his comment to process in Russian. Then she burst out laughing, despite the fact that they'd reached Spoon Island.

"Cross the bridge Sasha, cross – not crochet!" He shoved her legs off his – pretended annoyance - and stood and stretched, before climbing out and onto the Wyndemere dock. When she didn't immediately join him, he turned to find her once again laughing, and he rolled his eyes. Why was it always one extreme or the other; despair or hysteria…one day she would find a balance, he was sure of it…or he would have to be institutionalized.

He continued to wait, expression bland; she was laughing so hard that she couldn't even manage to get off the boat without help. Every time she began to calm down, she only had to look at him and she was suddenly off on another hysterical peal of laughter. Even once she had both feet firmly planted on the dock, the occasional chortle or cackle had him reconsidering his official position on her sanity.

"If you are hysterical _Sestrenka_, I'm going to throw you off this dock and go home." He warned her.

"I was so right…" she continued to giggle as they make their way up the stairs and towards the front entrance. "They're going to shoot you." He rolled his eyes and yanked at a strand of her hair. He had decided a long time ago, if he was to start pulling anyone's hair out, it would be hers instead of his own.

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anfisa_ - Flower

_Matʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ - love

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.


	20. Chapter 20

Hello again! First of all, let me say thank you again for all of the great reviews! Ok – so I was going to wait and post this chapter – I'm halfway done with the longer chapter that comes after it – this is more of a tease and some fun before all the upcoming drama. Anyway…like I said, I was going to wait and post them together.

However, I actually finished the music video/trailer that accompanies this story, and thought I'd let all of you know! **WARNING** The video actually contains spoilers for chapters 21 and 22…so if you'd like to find out what it is that Helena's hiding…check out the video! If you'd rather wait…you can do that too!

The link to the video is on my profile page…just click on my author name and it'll be above my YouTube channel link!

In the meanwhile, here's chapter 20….hopefully I'll have chapters 21 and 22 out by tomorrow or the day after!

Chapter 20

"Promise me something Sasha." Kristina prompted…expression and voice solemn as they approached Wyndemere's ornate entrance, behind whose double doors her family was waiting to ambush them. She glanced over as Aleksandr reached out for the ancient door knocker, snowflakes sticking to his raven hair; he paused mid-knock to look down at her.

"No." he responded flatly before he banged the handle down a few times in rapid succession.

"Why not!" Kristina pouted, outrage ringing in the tone of her voice.

"Because I know what you're going to say…and the answer is no." he refused to give an inch on the matter, and shuffled impatiently; why weren't they opening the door?

"You don't know what I was going to say." she sniped.

"You want me to promise not to leave your side…no matter what happens." Aleksandr said it with such long suffering exasperation that she had to resist the urge to grin.

"Ok, so you do know…how do you know?" she demanded.

"Because it's what you always say when you're nervous and worried about my well-being." He grumbled, reaching out for the ornate door handle once again. This time he banged it solidly against the door no less than ten times.

She snickered at the dark expression settling across his face. Was she needling him? Obviously. Did he deserve it? Of course. Besides…her concerns for his safety were genuine, and considering the lion's den they were walking into - more than warranted.

"Please _Sasha_…" her tone was wheedling "…what if Jason or my father tries something?"

"No." he turned a steely eye on her when she opened her mouth to argue again. "Absolutely not Kristina…the last time that you made me promise this, you tried to follow me into the men's lavatory in London."

"That was one time." She huffed…he really needed to let these things go. "Besides, I saved your life." she argued, unsurprised when he hammered yet again on the door, with more force than ever. However, she _was_ surprised that the decorative knob didn't simply fall off in surrender after such abuse. After several intense moments of the incessant banging he once again turned to glower at her.

"You did not save my life! You nearly got us both killed." he protested.

"You're just mad because a 5'1 girl saved your know-it-all ass." she flung back – thrilled when his jaw clenched and he took a deep calming breath before responding to her accusation.

"No…I'm _'mad'_ because a 5 foot _nothing_ brat nearly got us both killed, _and_ nearly got me arrested for public indecency!" He turned to scowl derisively at the closed doors…where the hell was everyone…

"To be fair, you were publicly indecent." was her flippant reply "And I did _so_ save your life. You're just too stubborn to admit it." He reached for the door fixture again, annoyed when she reached out and slapped her hand over the handle. He could feel the tattered remnants of his sanity slinking away when she reached past him and pressed a button. She grinned up at him, completely unrepentant before she said,

"It's a big house Sasha…that's why we have a doorbell."

When Alfred opened the door, he found Miss Kristina smiling like the cat that ate the canary. The gentleman with her was standing with his fists clenched and his eyes shut, counting from one to ten, and then from ten to one in Russian. Most peculiar.

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anfisa_ - Flower

_Matʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ - love

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Ethan watched as Alfred ushered Kristina and Sokolov into the living room to join the rest of Nikolas's guests. They were standing arm in arm in the doorway, the top of Kristina's head barely reaching Aleksandr's shoulders. Neither looked apprehensive, but that could be a ruse; the two of them had obviously been playing a very dangerous game together for a very long time. It was doubtful that they'd be so sloppy as to show their cards now.

He couldn't say the same for most of the other's in the room...

Alexis was doing her level best not to seem angry or out of sorts; this came across as frighteningly gracious and nervous. She'd nearly tripped over her own two feet when she'd rushed over to greet Aleksandr and her middle daughter. She shook his hand with more than her fair share of enthusiasm, and squeezed Kristina in such a tight embrace that Krissy had noticeably winced.

Sonny was doing his best not to react at all, as far as Ethan could tell. He coolly walked over to Kristina and wrapped an arm around her, seemingly relaxed…

Ah, there it was Ethan thought – his tell.

Sonny might seem calm to the casual observer, nothing in his body language giving him away, but the look in his eyes promised murder…or worse. Flashing his famous dimples at Sokolov he reached out to shake the man's hand; there was something sinister about Kristina's father in that moment…something menacing. To Sokolov's credit he returned the smile, not looking a bit concerned.

The other introductions were made quickly; Olivia came off as gracious, if a bit edgy. Nikolas…ever the magnanimous host and doting cousin, was charming and well-mannered. Dante was very personable and friendly…years of undercover work obviously paying off.

Dear cousin Carly came off as a bit of a bitch – but nothing new there really – acting any other way would have seemed more suspicious. Michael's only mistake seemed to be that he was being too nice…a bit like a used car salesman in Ethan's opinion.

Sam embraced Kristina warmly, and threw a 'Nice to see you again' at Aleksandr; Samantha Morgan PI…at ease on the job. Jason was…well…Jason; Ethan wasn't sure that he'd ever seen the man really _react_ to anything or anyone except for Michael, Sam, and his children…unless he was annoyed with Carly.

Throughout all of these the introductions and greetings both Kristina and Sokolov were cool and collected. It was irritating really, how at ease they seemed; it was almost a pleasure to see the look of shocked surprise on Kristina's face when Johnny stepped around Jason and bent down to kiss her on the cheek. Sokolov cocked his head a bit to the side and narrowed his eyes, but there was no other outwards reaction as he shook Johnny's hand.

"Well now," Luke murmured, turning to grin at Ethan "looks like the gangs all here." Tracy rolled her eyes, but both she and Ethan followed him over to greet their newest arrivals.

Kristina suppressed the urge to turn and flee when Luke and Tracy Spencer approached her…Luke carrying a dish of entrée's – which he was eating from. Ethan was trailing slightly behind them…eating some kind cheese on a stick – apparently taken from Luke's tray. Their eyes met and everything else seemed to fade for just a moment before Luke pulled her back to reality.

"Kristina! Long time no see darlin', how've you been?" Luke asked, offering both she and Aleksandr the chance to grab something from his platter. Kristina declined with a slight wave of her hand, while Aleksandr reached for one of the little cubes of cheese as well.

"Hi Mr. Spencer, I didn't realize you'd be here." She said, still more than a little apprehensive. If her parents had enlisted the help of Luke Spencer, then they knew Helena was involved...she'd hoped that they hadn't quite figured that out yet. She hadn't anticipated seeing Johnny or Ethan either; after all, neither of them were exactly on her father's Christmas card list.

"Oh, well you know that you dad and I are old friends. As for your mom…I'm the one that got away." He said it dramatic sigh, and turned to bat his eyes at Alexis. "Isn't that right Natasha?"

Alexis quirked an eyebrow at him, and then grinned appreciatively at Tracy when she crammed a piece of Gouda cheese into his mouth…hopefully she'd removed the toothpick first.

"It's a very great pleasure to meet all of you." Aleksandr said. The tone of his voice and that damnable Russian accent grated intolerably in Ethan's ears. He and Sonny were the only two in favor of tossing the Russian bastard straight into one of the Wyndemere cellars and extracting their answers with a couple sponges, a bucket of water, and a pair of jumper cables.

They all stood in an awkward semi-circle of silence for a few moments before Nikolas cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Dinner's ready now if you're hungry…cook has prepared a fairly large selection, including many of your favorites Kristina. Shall we move this conversation into the dining room?"

Several people nodded their assent and turned to follow him; Tracy snatched the half eaten tray away from her husband, who was still leering at Alexis. She slammed it down onto the nearest table, grabbed his arm, and fairly dragged him out of the room.

It was going to be an interesting evening, no doubt about it.

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anfisa_ - Flower

_Matʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ - love

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.


	22. Chapter 22

**Ok guys, so I know you're all like…what took so long? Sorry! As an apology, this chapter is a bit longer that mine usually are. **

**In my defense, since I posted the last chapter I've been promoted at work, I've moved, and been to Vegas for my sister's wedding. I've been super busy, and it doesn't look like that's gonna change anytime soon. **

**I also had some problems with this chapter. No matter how I wrote the scene in the dining room, it didn't work. This is a revised idea, more like Aleksandr's flashback and perception on what happened. I think you'll be surprised. It also gives you some insight into Aleksandr and his past. **

**Please let me know what you think! I live for reviews!**

_Chapter 22_

_Fire and death spun and danced in the recesses of his memory, licking and teasing the edges of his mind. The screams of his mother echoed through his dreams; he could smell the smoke, taste it in the air as he crawled on hands and knees towards her room…if he could only reach her… _

_A beam collapsed in front of him, so close he could see the individual sparks fly in the flames, could count the colors that made up the flickering inferno. Clambering to his feet, he called for his mother, shouted for her when he realized that he could not reach her; she called out to him, but he could not make out the words. _

"_Aleksandr!"_

_This cry came from behind him; he turned to see a silhouette emerge from the flames. Whirling around he came face to face with himself, his double, a mirror image. _

"_We have to save her." Even as he spoke the words he knew there was no hope. The look on his twin's face confirmed it; with a slow, miserable shake of his head, the other boy grasped one of Aleksandr's wrists and tugged him towards the stairs. As their footsteps pounded down the ornate staircase the screams suddenly stopped, and the house groaned ominously as the blaze crackled and roared around them. The two boys reached the front door and flung it open, but Aleksandr paused when he realized that his double had not followed him out the door. _

_Quickly he spun on his heal, only to realize that he was no longer a 10 year old child but a man fully grown, standing and staring back into the burning and crumbling remains of his family home. Once again his twin stood staring back at him, also older; the fiery ruins of their home collapsing around him as he stood resolutely just inside the doorway. _

"_Go" the other man said, but Aleksandr shook his head negatively, reaching out a hand towards his twin._

"_Come with me." _

_The other man frowned at him, and shook his head no. Slowly a wound bloomed across the other man's face, sliding diagonally from his hairline, down the left side of his face, to just below his eye. The long cut began to drip blood down the other man's face, and Aleksandr was shocked to feel blood dripping down his own face, blurring his vision as it ran into his left eye._

"_You know that I have to stay; I never really left." His double said, reaching up to wipe the blood away. The wound had closed Aleksandr marveled, leaving behind only a scar. Reaching out as if to close the door in Aleksandr's shocked face, his twin briefly paused to say, "You have to go…be careful…she's coming." Finally the other man slammed the door shut with a thunderous bang; Aleksandr cried out as the door burst into flames. Behind him, he could hear another voice, a woman, evil, sinister, laughing. Before he could turn to confront her, something slammed into the back of his head and everything went black. _

Aleksandr's head was pounding but despite the painful throbbing he struggled against the urge to slip back into unconscious oblivion, and tried forced his eyes open. Despite his best efforts, it took several attempts before he was able to manage it. Finally blinking, he immediately regretted his tenacity; the overhead light made his eyes water and sting; turning his face away from the bright light he squinted and took in his surroundings. Where in the hell was he?

His senses were sluggish, and so was his memory. Slowly it began to come back to him, in bits and pieces. Wyndemere….Kristina's family…dinner… wine…a toast…crap. They'd drugged him. He wasn't sure if he was impressed or infuriated; scowling he decided that he a little bit of both.

He didn't recognize the room he was in. Or the chair he was tied to. The walls were thick stone, as were the floors. The door across the room looked old but sturdy, a beautiful wooden monstrosity that he just knew would be locked. Was he in a dungeon? Well…considering that he was on Spoon Island, he wasn't exactly surprised.

Aleksandr sighed; at least they hadn't shot him.

He recalled the awkward silence as the eclectic group gathered for dinner in the ornate Cassadine dining room. His memory was fuzzy, but he could still recall bits and pieces, and more was coming back to him every minute. He'd been sitting next to Kristina; she'd been nervous and desperately trying not to show it.

Her family had questioned them about trivial things; school, how they'd met, their first date, and their relationship. Both he and Kristina had been playing along, but both had been waiting for the axe to fall, waiting for the inevitable confrontation. He dimly recalled a toast, more than one in fact…to what he couldn't remember…but nothing in the flavor of the wine had seemed suspicious or unusual.

The meal had continued on for quite some time like this; he was forced to admit that both he and Kristina had fallen too easily into the trap. He'd taken for granted that they would openly challenge them; considering that there was an officer of the law present and that Kristina was with him, he'd never suspected that they would choose to drug him.

Aleksandr sneered as he struggled within the confines of the rope they'd used to tie him to the chair. They had definitely miscalculated…but not necessarily in his favor. He scowled a bit at that, finally managing to reach the watch on his left wrist. Extracting the small sharp blade concealed in the band, be began cutting at the ropes, mind still foggily lost in thought.

He was almost certain that every person at the table had nearly choked on their dinner when he'd scolded Kristina for drinking the last of his wine. As she was prone to do, she'd shrugged nonchalantly at him and flashed him a smug smile. He could still hear her mother's shrill voice after his announcement.

"Kristina!" Alexis had squawked at her middle daughter like a ruffled hen scolding one of her wayward chicks.

He hadn't put the pieces of the puzzle together at that moment, but he should have. More than likely he'd already been affected by whatever drug they'd laced his drink with, but in hindsight it really grated on his nerves.

He'd played the attentive boyfriend, laughing and telling Kristina's family about her penchant for appropriating anything that was on his plate, or whatever he happened to be drinking. He felt stupid for not recognizing the signs that they'd been drugged sooner. Whatever it was they'd used on them, he was fascinated with how innocuous it was.

_Kristya_ had laughed with him, leaning heavily on his shoulder, when he'd told them of how she'd once stolen a bottle of water that belonged to him while they were in Slovakia, just to aggravate him. They'd both ended up with a debilitating case of strep throat that had kept them from speaking for days, and trapped them in a dingy hotel room with few very few amenities.

"She is a terrible patient." He'd recounted, wincing when she'd pinched his bicep.

"Right, like I'm the only one!" she'd giggled, "You threatened that poor doctor that made the house call at gunpoint." Kristina accused.

"He was incompetent!" he'd laughed, "Besides _Kristya_, I'm not the one who he threatened to report to the authorities! Honestly, I thought he was going to have us both arrested when you -" he'd been cut off when she'd slapped a free hand over his mouth, glaring at him threateningly.

"We don't need to mention that. It was nearly two years…matter of fact, let's not bring it up again _Sasha_. Ever." She'd grumbled darkly. They'd both been taken off guard when her father had spoken.

"When were you in Slovakia?" they'd turned to look uncomprehendingly at Sonny for a moment, Kristina's hand lowering back to the table.

"What?" she'd asked, tilting her head a bit to the side.

"Honestly Kristina, it's a simple question. What were you doing in Slovakia?" Sonny asked, and though he was smiling, his eyes were hard and unyielding. Eerily like a shark that scented blood in the water and was moving in for the kill.

"Maybe now's not the best time for this Sonny…Kristina drank - " Dante began only to be cut off by Michael.

"No Dante…let Kristina answer dad's question. I mean, don't you think it's a bit odd? She's never mentioned being in Slovakia before…and didn't the two of you just finish telling us that you'd only know each other for a little over a year. So how did this happen two years ago?"

"Michael -" Jason murmured, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. The silence in the room had been deafening. Sam's gaze had lingered briefly on her husband before turning to stare at them as well. Tracey had rested her chin upon her fist and was smirking at them, clearly enjoying herself. Luke seemed to be ignoring most everyone, and was savoring his steak, muttering about needing more A1.

Aleksandr recalled that the room had felt too hot, and that soon after Kristya's brother's outburst, he'd had felt his vision flicker and slope dangerously.

He'd known then that something was wrong, and judging from Kristina's confused expression, she'd come to the same conclusion. She'd quickly stood, then swayed hazardously before he'd clambered clumsily to his feet in an effort to support her. He'd knocked his chair over and she'd bumped into Nikolas, who'd been sitting beside her. Her cousin had reached out to steady her, but she's angrily shrugged him off, fumbling away from the table and attempting to drag Aleksandr with her.

"You drugged us." _Kristya's_ voice had been incredulous; she'd sprawled gracelessly backwards finally managing to brace herself against the wall as the majority of the people at the table stood. Thinking back, they'd look a bit guilty…not that it really mattered. Unfortunately when she'd tugged on him, Kristina had unbalanced Aleksandr; he'd quickly plummeted over the fallen chair behind him, landing in a heap near her feet.

Finally feeling the full effects of the drug, enjoying its seductively lethargic tug towards unconsciousness, he'd struggled against it, knowing that it would be a losing battle. He'd managed to prop himself up, leaning against the wall and one of _Kristya's_ shoulders.

Aleksandr had been surprised when Zacchara had appeared out of nowhere…hadn't Johnny been on the other side of the table? When Johnny had reached out to grasp his arm, the young mobster had jerked away in surprise when Kristina had thrown a bangle bracelet at him.

"Don't touch him!" he'd heard Kristina snap, as she latched onto his arm. He'd opened tired eyes to see Johnny gently trying to dislodge Kristina's death grip on his arm, her father standing ominously over Zacchara, demanding that he take his hand off his daughter.

He couldn't remember what had happened next, not really, but he recalled Ethan and Nikolas lifting him off the floor, Nikolas gripping under his arms, Ethan lifting his feet.

When Johnny finally managed to peel Kristina loose, so that Nikolas and Ethan could take him from the room, Aleksandr had allowed his head to loll to the side just as Johnny had tossed some insult at Corinthos over his shoulder. Johnny taking his eyes off Kristina had been a big mistake…

Having consumed far less of the drug than himself, Kristina was more than capable of inflicting some serious damage, especially when she was angry…and she was furious.

Still trying to cut through the ropes holding him captive, Aleksandr grinned as he pictured the shocked looks on Corinthos and Zacchara's faces when Kristina had punched Johnny solidly in the jaw, knocking him to the side. She'd leapt up and towards Aleksandr, clearly still unsteady on her feet, bellowing like a banshee. Her father had wrapped both arms around her from behind, as if giving her a bear hug; she'd kicked and struggled furiously in his grip.

" Kristina it's ok, it's ok. Calm down sweetie its fine. Trust me." Sonny had tried to sooth her, which had only enraged her further.

"I hate you." She'd seethed, lowering her head and biting her father's arm. He'd released her, eyes wide with surprise when she'd spun to take a swing at him. Of course, in her condition, she'd missed and her momentum had her stumbling into the wall again. Once more Sonny had approached her; Sam and Jason had intercepted him, talking in low tones.

Carly and Alexis had then skirted around the arguing trio, and come to rest on their knees beside a distraught Kristina, who was once again trying to clamber to her feet, eyes locked onto where he'd hung suspended between a stunned Nikolas and Ethan.

"_Kristya_." He'd murmured reverting back to Russian and slurring his words, "It's going to be fine _Sestrenka_, calm down." Nikolas's eyes had snapped down to his face, expression etched in surprise.

"Get him out of here." Jason had snapped at the two men, jolting them back into action as they carried him from the room.

Aleksandr persistently hacked at the ropes, which were finally becoming a bit looser, and wondered if Kristina's next little outburst was why he was still alive. Right before he'd faded out completely, he'd heard her voice…then again…how could he not?

She'd been shrieking like she was trying to wake the dead…

"If you hurt him, I'll _kill_ you. Do you hear me Dad! I _know_ you did this! _Nikolas_! Bring him back! I hate _all_ of you!" There had been a loud crash, and that was the last thing he remembered.

Aleksandr finally freed himself from the ropes, and after taking a moment to gather himself and stretch briefly, he made his way over to the impressive oak door. Swearing, he took a look at lock…this would take some time.

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anfisa_ - Flower

_Mat__ʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ - love

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.


	23. Chapter 23

** Hi guys…I know, I know…long time no post. To be honest, ever since they got rid of Lexi Ainsworth (for stupid, idiotic reasons) I haven't been feeling this fanfiction. Now I find out that Nathan Parsons is out the door too. Not happy! *sigh* Hopefully with all this new blood coming into GH, they can fix some of the major issues that have been happening in the last 6 months…but regardless…Ethan and Kristina are gone. I got a lot of my inspiration from watching the two of them, but I've got this story all planned out, so I'm going to try and finish it…but the updates may not be all that frequent. Sorry! **

** Anyway…on to the next chapter…**

Chapter 23

"So she's out?" Sam asked, watching Dante lower their unconscious sister to the nearest couch in Nikolas' sitting room, Alexis hovering close behind.

"Like a light." He said, brushing a strand of hair out of Kristina's face. She looked so peaceful; it was hard to believe that she'd been swearing like a sailor and had nearly knocked Johnny Zacchara senseless just a few minutes ago.

"What was that, the crazy behavior? A side effect of the drug?" Sonny asked as Olivia applied a liberal amount of alcohol to the scratches and bite mark that Kristina had left on his forearms. He hissed in pain, which she ignored, looking more annoyed than ever. Dante couldn't blame his mother. Not all of Nikolas' houseguests had been aware of the 'extra measures' that had been employed this evening, and the Falconeri's most definitely didn't approve.

"No Sonny, she was just really pissed off." Carly snapped at him, as she marched into the room and practically shoved Dante out of her way so that she could examine Kristina. She'd never finished her nursing courses, but they did come in handy sometimes. Alexis stood hovering behind the couch gripping Kristina's limp hand tightly between her own.

"She's gonna be fine Alexis." Luke promised, pouring himself a drink, which Tracy quickly appropriated and tossed back. "Easy there Spanky, pace yourself."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She snarled, snapping the empty glass down on the nearest table, her voice raising an octave with every word. "I was just trying to get drunk so that I can claim I don't know anything, when we all get hauled into the police precinct for kidnapping."

"Oh c'mon popsicle, I thought you were having a good time?" Luke cajoled.

"I was, until I became an accessory after the fact!" She snarled.

"I'd like to know whose idiotic idea drugging them was!" Dante demanded, glancing furiously around the room, eyeing his father meaningfully.

"Don't look at me." Sonny said with a slight shake of his head as he rolled down his shirt sleeve and approached Kristina, kneeling down beside her to run his fingertips across her brow as Carly checked her pulse. "I wanted to shoot that son of a bitch."

"So you're completely innocent? Is that what you're telling me Sonny?" Dante scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest in annoyance.

"I never said that. You asked whose idea it was…it's wasn't mine…I just went along with it." Sonny said, dimples winking impudently as he smiled smugly at his oldest son.

"Drugging Sokolov was my idea." Sam confessed, "Drugging Kristina was purely accidental."

"What in the world are you people thinking? Families don't act this way!" Olivia berated her tone indignant. "What happened to confronting them and demanding an explanation? We're all adults, not children! I shouldn't have to tell you to use your words! You're only making a bad situation worse."

"I agree!" Dante snapped, "All you've accomplished so far is to break the law…and when Kristina wakes up I can guarantee you that she and Sokolov are gonna walk right out that door and leave Port Charles. We may never see them again!"

"You're assuming that he'll be capable walking anywhere ever again." Sonny said ominously, joining Luke for a drink.

"Don't Sonny, just don't!" Dante warned him; Sonny only shrugged before turning his attention to Carly.

"How's she doing?" he asked, eyes lingering on Kristina for just a moment before once again glancing at his ex-wife.

"She's fine…just like Aleksandr will be. The drug we administered just loosens inhibitions and makes you sleepy. Worst case is that she has a nasty headache when she wakes up." Carly promised as Alexis replaced her to sit next to Kristina on the edge of the couch.

Dante opened his mouth again, clearly not done berating his family, when Nikolas and Ethan re-entered the room.

"Dodge! Did you and Vlad get our guest tucked away, all nice and cozy?" Luke asked.

"If nice and cozy is code for tied to a chair in the cellar, then yes." Ethan replied, eyes never leaving Kristina's unconscious form. "She gonna be alright?"

"She's fine." Sam replied, her eyes still lingering on her sister and her mother. Alexis was looking more harassed than ever, clearly torn between guilt and righteous maternal fury. Sam leaned back into Jason, who wrapped his arms protectively around her, and offered her a light supportive squeeze. Please God, she thought, let her children be half this much trouble.

"No need to worry Ethel…I'm fine too." Johnny sniped from a nearby ottoman, where he sat holding a bag of ice to the side of his face.

Ethan grinned at his friend, clearly amused.

"Knew you would be mate…good thing too…wouldn't want word to get out that you were nearly knocked unconscious by a girl less than half your size."

"Ha ha." Johnny grumbled, and then winced. Ethan only grinned wider.

"Since you geniuses have this all planned out,' Olivia snapped, "now what?"

"Look Olivia, I know you're not crazy about this…but compared to some of the other ideas that were being tossed around…this really was the best of a lot of bad options." Michael claimed, completely unrepentant. "We needed to separate the two of them, and make sure that they didn't have time to come up with a cohesive lie. Now we can confront and question them separately…get answers. If Kristina is under some kind of duress, or she's being threatened, we already have Sokolov -"

"Duress?" Olivia laughed. "Just a hunch here, but I'm pretty sure that Aleksandr means a lot to Kristina! Then again, maybe I'm crazy…did I hallucinate her threatening to kill anyone who hurt him? Was I the only one who heard that?"

"Olivia that's just another reason that this was a good idea…" Sam placated. "If Kristina does care about him, then we can use him as leverage. She knows that no one in this family would ever hurt her. Aleksandr…well she obviously thinks that Sonny is capable of killing him. Look, I know this seems extreme, but she's in trouble and she's mixed up in some really bad business."

"The same thing's true for Sokolov." Jason said "We've moved him into a vulnerable position and he'll know that. He's more likely to cooperate and tell us what he knows if his life is in danger. We've tried looking at this from all angels, but we had limited time and very few options. Carly how long before Sokolov comes around?"

"It's hard to tell" Carly sighed, rubbing her temples in an effort to suppress the headache she knew was coming. "He drank some of the wine, but because of Kristina he didn't get the full dose. It might be in an hour, it might be two."

"I want it understood now…he can think anything you want, but no one is killing him." Dante insisted, tone brooking no argument. Sonny cocked his head and looked away. "I mean it Sonny. No one is dying, got it!"

"Whatever I have to do, I'm going to protect my daughter." was Sonny's response.

Both men looked mutinous, so before another one of their legendary arguments of epic proportions could begin, Alexis quickly changed the subject.

"Nikolas, did you hear what he was saying when you carried him out of the dining room? I couldn't make it out."

"Yeah, me either." Ethan said perching on the arm of the couch by Kristina's feet. "Russian right?"

"Yes…but what he said didn't make sense. I might have misheard him…or the drug was affecting him." Nikolas replied, loosening his tie and collapsing into the nearest chair with a tired sigh.

"Could you be any more vague?" Tracey asked blandly, eyes narrowed in annoyance. Nikolas rolled his eyes.

"He told her to calm down, that everything would be all right, and then he called her '_Sestrenka_'…little sister. I don't suppose either of you have any children that you gave up for adoption in Russia?" Nikolas eyed his aunt and Sonny meaningfully.

"I think I'd remember that." Alexis said, tone dry. "What about you Sonny? Any more children scattered across the globe?"

"Funny." Sonny sniped back before turning his attention back to Nikolas. "No."

"Well then I don't know what to tell you." Nikolas sighed, "He didn't say anything else after we got him out of there."

"Shouldn't we be locking Kristina up somewhere too? As far from her little Russian cohort as possible…like the attic?" Tracey groused, "I mean, she's not gonna be happy when she wakes up. Clearly."

"We're not locking her up!" Alexis snapped at Tracey, who just quirked an eyebrow.

"Fine," Tracey snapped back "but when she comes around and has another screaming, crying fit -"

"That's taking it a bit too far Tracey." Was Nikolas' response "However, I agree that making her more comfortable might be a good idea. I'll take her up to one of the guest room upstairs."

"And lock her in?" Tracey asked, tone sickly sweet.

"Until she calms down, yes." Was Sam's reply, despite her mother's annoyed glare.

"Hmmmm..." Tracey tapped her chin with one of her manicured nails. "Take her upstairs and lock her in. Isn't that what I just said?"

"I wouldn't leave your little princess alone up there all by herself." Luke suggested. "Someone should stay up there with her, be there when she wakes up."

"I'll go." Michael said, as Nikolas hoisted Kristina up off the couch and carried her from the room.

"Same goes for Sokolov." Luke said "I think someone should go downstairs and wait for him to wake up. Keep an eye on him."

"I'll go." Dante offered, turning as if to leave the room.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, there detective. No offense, but considering you're '_official position' _on this operation, I don't think that's the best idea. Dodge, why don't you head down to the bowls of Spoon Island and keep our guest company. Let us know when he wakes up." Luke proposed.

"On it." Ethan agreed, quickly exiting the room.

"Now what?" Alexis asked.

"Now we wait." Luke said, pouring himself another drink. "It's all we can do until one of them wakes up."

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anfisa_ - Flower

_Mat__ʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ - love

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"Bloody hell." Ethan said as he sat down on the stairs just outside the room they were holding Sokolov. He'd poked his head in a moment before, but the bloke was still out. He'd been sent down about 30 minutes ago to babysit, and he was bored. He was beyond bored, truth be told; he was restless, anxious, and more than ready for some answers.

Knowing what she did about her mother's family history, about Cassadines in general, Kristina ought to have had more than enough sense to stay away from Helena Cassadine. And did she? No, of course not! Krissy had been trouble from day one, and apparently it was only getting worse with age. One thing you could say for her though…she was never boring; despite himself Ethan found a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. Krissy always managed to bring a smile to his face, in spite of himself and whatever was going on.

It was strange he mused, how much she'd changed; he was having trouble believing even half of what they'd stumbled across...and they didn't even know much yet. The teenage girl he'd known had certainly seemed poised to take on the world, but this – whatever _this_ was – was far outside any possible future any of them might have envisioned for her back then. Definitely different from what Kristina had imagined for herself he was sure.

Lying to her entire family for years, living a double life, getting mixed up with some Russian criminal, taking on Helena Cassadine…if someone had tried to tell him that this was possible five years ago…hell a week ago…he'd have laughed in their face.

The Krissy he'd known had been funny and sweet, thoughtful and sensitive. Of course, she'd also been deceptive and cunning, manipulative and sly…but never maliciously or spitefully so. Not that he held that against her…those were some of the things that he prided himself on after all. But…she'd also been easier to read than the daily paper, at least to him. Comparatively the woman she'd become was an enigma, both foreign and familiar in turns.

She was messing with his head, just like she always had, and it frustrated him to no end; at least she seemed to be unaware of it – thank God. It was strange…but nice…seeing her again after all this time. He'd drawn a line with her five years ago, one he'd seen clearly – wasn't it funny how that line had faded in such a short amount of time. He found himself dwelling on the thought that, while she'd been 19 and he'd been 24, the idea of a relationship with her had seemed – wrong. Now that she was 24 and he was 29…the age difference didn't seem like such an obstacle.

He knew that it was ridiculous, but in spite of himself he'd always felt a deep connection to Kristina. It was completely illogical…something indefinable that he just couldn't explain...that he'd never dared to speak aloud, to himself or to anyone else. It just didn't make sense, and not just because of their age difference though that certainly had been a factor; no, to him it was more about their experiences.

When he'd first met Kristina she'd been 16, and was probably the most sheltered person that he'd ever met. Comparatively…at 16 he'd already had years of cons and lies under his belt, and was more than capable of making it on his own.

By the time she was 18, granted she'd been through more than most girls her age, but her trauma's hadn't hardened her, hadn't made her as world weary as he'd felt. In that respect they'd been years apart, more than she'd cared to admit…but he'd still enjoyed her friendship and company. She was the first real friend he'd ever made, and he'd been reluctant to let that go, in spite of all the obvious signals that she was looking for much more than he'd been willing to give…then.

It hadn't been easy, moving on after she left…especially considering how they'd parted. Not seeing her at Kelly's, or at the park. Not bumping into her on the docks or replying to at least two or three texts a day…it had taken some getting used to. He'd told himself it was for the best, but she was never completely gone from his thoughts. Then seeing her turn up so suddenly at Jakes…it was like water after a drought, the sun after the rain…corny or not, he didn't know how else to describe it.

Reaching back Ethan tugged the band out of his hair and scraped his hair back into a tighter ponytail. That night on the docks had been a mistake. He'd known better than to meet her there so late at night, but what was he supposed to do? She had no regard for her personal safety, not then and apparently not now. She'd ditched her father's guards and texted him once she was already down on the waterfront. Anything could have happened to her, especially considering how volatile Anthony was. So he'd met her at what she called 'their spot'. It all seemed so long ago, but he could remember it like it happened yesterday.

She'd been wearing a pair of jeans and red shirt, something that looked soft and casual; her dark hair had been loose and long…she'd been a lovely vision in the moonlight. Not that he'd told her so, and it certainly hadn't saved her from a richly deserved verbal thrashing. But he hadn't stayed mad at her for long, he never could.

He'd never gotten over the way she used to look at him; like he was all her hopes and dreams wrapped up in one neat package. It had been intimidating, flattering, and completely ridiculous; but he'd secretly treasured it and her. No one had ever looked at him that way before, no one in his entire life. It was a powerful thing, that adoration and hero worship. He would admit - at least to himself - that he'd enjoyed that look in her eyes, that absolute trust and faith; but he'd stupidly thought that appreciating her company, feeling that camaraderie, and being her friend was harmless. He should have known better.

So they'd sat on their bench and talked, about the past and the future, about family and friends, about nothing and everything. With the breeze coming off the water and the stars sparkling in the clear summer sky, it has seemed like the perfect evening.

If he'd known how that night would end, he'd have marched her straight home, called her father, her brother, Sam, Alexis; he'd have done something differently. Hindsight was always 20/20.

Leaning back against the wall, still sitting on the chill stairs of the Cassadine cellar, Ethan let his mind wander back to that night, something he rarely allowed himself to do. He'd taught himself to put it out of his mind for the most part, but some days it was all he could think about. What might have been, and what could never be.

"_Ethan, you have to know that I'm in love with you." He could hear the adoration in her voice; the absolute conviction...could see the love that she thought she felt shining in her eyes. In the wake of her declaration he felt a sudden and disturbing lurch in the pit of his stomach; abruptly it was hard to breathe. _

"_What I know is that it's late, and we've talked long enough Krissy. We'd better get you home before your mom realizes that you're gone and calls out the cavalry." Ethan tried to sidestep the question and give her a pass…tried to give them both a pass. Apparently she was done pretending that she was willing to settle for friendship; which also meant that she was done letting him pretend as well. _

"_Didn't you hear what I said? I'm in love with you." She looked nervous, excited, and beautiful. She'd obviously come here to make her stand on the matter, and if she'd been just a few years older…but she wasn't, so the point was moot._

"_Kristina…enough. Please." The frustration in his voice was tangible, but Kristina chose to ignore the subtle warning that laced those three simple words. _

"_No! I love you, and you can try to deny it if you want, but you love me too. We have a connection Ethan, you know it and I know it. You're all I think about, you're everything I want. Why can't you see that?" _

_She reached out a hand, as if to lay it against his cheek. He immediately leaned back against the bench, so that she couldn't reach him. Closing his eyes he tried running several possible scenarios in his head, mind frantically searching for a way derail this conversation before irreparable damage was done. _

_That had been his first mistake...taking his eyes off her. _

_If he'd been paying more attention, he might have felt her shift on the bench…but he hadn't been, so he didn't. The sensation of her lips on his…it was like a surge of electricity…the way his senses blazed to life. The pressure of her lips on his was a shock; the first time she'd kissed him at the Lake House, the strong reaction he'd felt had staggered him. At least then he'd been somewhat prepared, and had been able to put a stop to it before things got out of hand._

_This time she'd managed to overwhelm him and his good sense within just a few seconds. Ethan jolted forward in surprise and inadvertently sealed their lips even more tightly together for just a brief instant; of course he nearly knocked her off the bench in the process. She'd had to lean haphazardly forward on her knees to reach him and as she lost her balance their kiss came to an abrupt end. _

_Ethan instinctively reached out to grasp her shoulders and their eyes locked, held; he had no explanation for what happened next, no excuse for it…his mind simply switched off. _

_Kissing her back had been his second mistake. _

_He leaned forward and softly brushed his lips against hers, barely a kiss by most definitions; at the same time he reached out and gently ran his thumb across Krissy's cheek, cupping her face between his hands. She'd shivered delicately, exhaled, and leaned into the kiss._

_The passion of their embrace had increased exponentially in a matter of seconds; he'd molded her mouth to his, slanting his lips over hers again and again, frantic for more, one hand clamping down on her hip, his other still cupping the side of her face. _

_ Her hands had clutched desperately at his shoulders, but found no purchase. Finally she locked her arms around his neck, fingers diving into his hair._

_Her head tilted back, her kiss swollen lips parting with a breathy moan as his mouth and teeth teased at the sensitive skin of her jaw, then her neck. And just like that, Ethan snapped out of whatever spell he'd been under. He could see the confusion in her eyes when he scrambled to his feet. This was bad…this was beyond bad…this was epically bad. _

"_Just what do you think you're doing?" he couldn't stop the accusation, even though he knew it hadn't been just her. He'd been more than a willing participant, but that didn't assuage the rising panic he felt creeping up his spine. _

"_What?" Her brows furrowed, and she looked more confused than ever. That did not help him reign in his temper. "But, I thought -"_

"_You thought wrong. That shouldn't have happened. It won't happen again." He watched her eyes narrow as she clambered to her feet. That was better. Pissed off Krissy he could deal with. Sweet and vulnerable Krissy might just get her way. _

"_No! That was perfect, we were perfect and you know it! We're right together Ethan. I kissed you and you kissed me back…and we both know it'll happen again! You want to kiss me right now don't you?" He refused to admit how right she was…and had to take a hasty step in retreat when she reached for him again, as if to prove her point._

"_Kristina that kiss didn't mean anything...it meant nothing at all." He could see the rebellious look on her face, could tell by the set of her jaw and the arch of her brow that she wasn't going to just let this go. That damn stubborn streak that she'd inherited was going to ruin them both if he let her have her way. _

"_It did! You know it did! You can't kiss me like that and not feel anything! I love you, and if you would just stop fighting against it so hard, you'd see that you love me too." Clenching his jaw, Ethan made his decision. He had to make her let go of this fantasy, for her sake, and for the preservation of his sanity. _

"_All you proved is that I should have known better than to treat you like an adult. I thought that you were mature enough to accept the idea that we were just friends. My mistake; no worries though, I've learned my lesson." He could hear the acidic bite in his own voice; but didn't bother to soften his tone. _

"_If this is about you working for Johnny or the scams you pull with Luke – I'm ok with that. You're a good person, you're the best person I know Ethan and -" he cut her off with a harsh laugh and turned away, then felt her snag his left forearm as if to keep him from leaving. He turned back and forced himself to glare down at her and say the things that would set them both free. _

"_When are you going to get it through your head, I'm not some knight in shining armor, not some storybook prince, not some heroic figure. I'm a thief and a con artist." Ethan snapped, yanking free of the tight grip Kristina had on his arm. "You think I haven't hurt people? That I wouldn't do it again if the scam was lucrative enough? I'm not going to say this again, I'm not interested in you Kristina. There is nothing romantic between us; whatever fairytale you've made up in your head -" _

"_Don't lie to me Ethan, and don't talk down to me like I'm some idiotic child." Kristina interrupted, voice warbling, "I know what I feel – I love you. I've been in love with you for longer than I've know what it was that I was feeling! And I know you -"_

"_You don't know the first thing about me, not really! I felt sorry for you…I still feel sorry for you," Ethan scoffed, turning to pace away. "You're a screwed up girl with a messed up family. No matter how many times I tell you, you just refuse to hear me. Fine. Then hear this…I'm done. I'm done trying to be your friend, done playing these stupid childish games with you."_

_He could see the heartbreak written all over her face; hurting her had never been what he wanted, but it was better to wound her now, than to destroy her later. _

"_I'm tired…tired of you imposing how you feel and what you want onto me…tired of you refusing to hear what it is I'm saying to you. You hear something you don't like, and you just disregard it. God…you really are your father's daughter; he must be so proud." He watched her face crumble, forced himself to remain impassive as the tears began to stream down her face. He knew that was a low blow…that he'd played on one of her biggest fears. _

_When her shoulders began to tremble and she choked on heartbreaking sobs, he turned his back to her and hardened his heart against the overwhelming desire to comfort her. To apologize, to admit that she was right and that he was a fool. It was better this way. _

"_You're a coward." She wept, nearly hysterical. "You're a liar and a coward! Look at me…look at me!" He felt the impact of her fists against his shoulders, then turned and grasped her wrists, gently but firmly restraining her._

"_Enough…Kristina stop it. I'm taking you home." He forced his expression to remain blank, despite the misery on her face…forced himself not to react as she searched his expression and obviously found him lacking in some way. _

"_I'm not going anywhere with you." The sorrow and distain in her voice shamed him; she jerked back out of his grasp and snagged her purse off the ground, but he made no move to stop her. "You're right. I must have imagined loving you. How could I possibly love a man who's too spineless to be honest with himself and with me…you say we're done? Fine! You win…lose my number and I'll return the favor." _

He'd watched her stalk away from him, had waited until she was out of sight before following her to her car. She'd made it home safely, he'd seen to that. Then he'd gone to the Star and gotten blind drunk, and had stayed that way for about a week.

Tracy had hunted him down like a blood hound, and sobered him up, much to Luke's amusement. Ethan grinned at the memory of Tracey standing over him, trying to mask her concern with anger. She'd told him in no uncertain terms that he was to immediately acquaint himself with the shower, as he smelled like a sewer, or she would be happy to introduce him to the ice water sloshing in the bucket she carried. He should have just done what she asked, but it certainly had made for an interesting day.

He'd only seen Kristina once or twice in passing in the following days, which put him in a foul mood and sent him straight back into the bottle. Luke had been what finally brought him around, well…Luke and a good con. It was the only time he'd ever suspected that Tracey had sent Luke to pull a scam.

By the time they'd come back a couple weeks later, and he'd mentioned Krissy to Michael in passing…she'd already left town. She'd also been true to her word; he hadn't heard from her again, and the one time he'd worked up the drunken courage to call her a nasally voice on the other end of the phone had informed him that her number was no longer in service.

Shaking himself out of his melancholy musings, Ethan glanced at his watched and climbed to his feet. Digging out the key he'd jammed into his pocket 30 minutes ago when he'd last checked on Sokolov, he slid it into the lock - left it there - and stepped into the room. Then he froze in disbelief and took two larger steps into the room. The chair was empty, and the ropes lay in scattered disarray on the floor.

"Thank you Mr. Lovett." said a heavily accented Russian voice. "Picking that lock might have taken me quite a while." Ethan spun, but wasn't fast enough. He was shoved forward from behind, and by the time he regained his balance it was too late. Sokolov slammed the door shut in his face.

"Hey!" Ethan bellowed after the Russian, and despite knowing that it was useless, he jiggled the door handle anyway…still locked. Then he heard a strange sound from the other side before heard Sokolov's muffled voice again.

"I apologize, but I know of your penchant for getting out of tight dots." Ethan made a face…dots? Did he mean spots? Sokolov continued, "This however is unfortunate for you. I can't have you escaping and telling everyone upstairs that I've managed to free myself. So, that sound you just heard was me breaking the key off in the lock. That should slow you down, no?"

Ethan slumped forward and allowed his head to rest against the thick oak door. Yes, that would definitely slow him down.


	25. Chapter 25

** I know it's been a long time since I updated. Longer that I realized actually…sorry! **** Thank you everyone for all the wonderful reviews. I'm actually posting this chapter for you! I'm thrilled that you like this enough to leave reviews, they're what inspired me to post again today! Also, I make no promises as to when the next update will be, but there will be another one…eventually. Hopefully sooner than later. **** I'm actually working on an original book that I want to have published eventually, but every now and then think about this story and where it's going to go, especially when I tune in to GH! I am not a fan of NuKristina and the whole Trey storyline. I want the original Krissy and Ethan back! Ah well, a girl can dream! In the meanwhile, please enjoy my newest chapter! Also, please keep reviewing; I love to know what you think! **

Chapter 25

Michael watched his sister sleep fretfully in one of Wyndemere's ornate spare rooms, uncertain if he should try again to wake her. Kristina was muttering and mumbling incoherently to herself, thrashing her head from side to side; to be truthful, he was uneasy with the entire situation.

On one hand, he'd welcome the opportunity to shake her until her teeth rattled and demand that she tell him what the hell was going on. He was her big brother, and for many years, her best and most trusted confidant; despite all of that …she'd been lying to him for the better half of a decade. He was beyond anger and outrage; he was hurt and afraid for her. What was so horrible, so terrible, that she'd changed so much from the person he thought he knew?

On the other hand, this was Kristina; she'd been through things with him that no one else could ever understand or imagine. She'd stood with him, and by him, during some of the best and worst moments of his life. Instinctively he wanted to trust her; to believe in the person he'd known her to be all their lives. Despite her fabrications and manipulations, Kristina was a good person, a great friend, and a fiercely devoted sister and daughter. If she'd felt the need to mislead to them, there had to be a compelling reason.

As for Sokolov, he didn't know what to think. Whoever the man was, he had no business even breathing the same air as Kristina. She drew his attention away from his musings when she went completely motionless and utterly silent; before he could move or speak to reassure her, Kristina's eyes shot open. She rolled to her side and then to her knees, her right hand sweeping underneath the pillow she'd been laying on, as if looking for something. She looked momentarily confused, when she realized that whatever she was looking for wasn't there. A gun, he realized with a knot of dread forming in his stomach; his baby sister was looking to find a gun under her pillow.

"Kristina." He murmured her name softly; her eyes snapped in his direction and the muddled and vulnerable look on her face tore at his heart.

"Michael? What happened? What's going on?" as she spoke she brought her hands up to the sides of her head and rubbed at her temples.

Kristina was beyond confused. She had a headache the likes of which she'd never known before, and her thoughts were fuzzy and disjointed; it felt like someone had clubbed her over the head with an Acme mallet. The room was unfamiliar, but the view out the window told her that she was at Wyndemere. Her brother took a hesitant step towards her, but when she glanced up to meet his eyes, the haze clouding her mind suddenly vanished as if it had never been…Aleksandr!

Michael watched his sister transform before his eyes; it was unsettling to see her change so drastically in the span of just a few seconds. She went from leaning wearily against the bedpost of the ancient oak bed, to standing straight and at attention…posture rigid and hands clenched at her sides. Her eyes hardened and narrowed into an expression that he didn't recognize.

"Michael, where is Aleksandr?" her tone was harsh and clipped, which put his hackles up. She was the one in the wrong here; she was the one who owed them answers.

"He's safe, for now. Dad and the rest of the family have some questions for the two of you that -". She cut him off sharply.

"That doesn't answer my question. Where is he Michael?"

"Safe, and that's all you need to know until you are ready to -". She cut him off again, this time by storming unsteadily across the room, stepping into his personal space and jabbing a finger into his midsection.

"Where! Is he ok?" he'd heard that tone before, but never, ever directed at him...Michael fought down his own temper, and refused to fight with her, which would be wholly unproductive.

"I promise Kris, he's ok…calm down." Her eyes were scanning his face, and he knew she was looking for any sign of dishonesty. It was once again disconcerting to realize that she would recognize, just as she always could, if he were lying but that he could no longer say the same. She seemed satisfied for the moment and stepped back, then sat down heavily on the edge of the mattress closing her eyes with a grimace and bringing her hand back up to her head.

"Pretty bad huh?" he murmured, and she nodded.

"Can you grab me some water?" she sounded absolutely miserable, and he desperately tried to ignore the guilt that was gnawing at him.

"Sure." He crossed the room and dug into the fully stocked mini bar, glad that Alfred kept the family wing fully stocked and at the ready. When he returned and handed it to her, she took a large gulp and then sighed in relief, the brought the cool glass up to rest against the side of her temple.

"Is there any aspirin over there?" she asked, voice sounding hopeful.

"I'll check." Michael smiled and reached out to lay his hand on her shoulder in a familiar way, and she reached up to lay her hand over his with a hesitant smile. Maybe she wasn't so different from the sister he'd grown up with after all.

Satisfied that Michael was paying her absolutely no attention as he dug around the mini bar before he disappeared into the bathroom, Kristina quickly rose to her feet. On the decorative bedside table sat the room phone, a vase of fresh violets, and Michael's cell phone. With no preamble Kristina upended the remainder of her water into the handset of the phone. Then she picked it up and listened for a dial tone. Nothing…perfect; she quickly placed it back into the cradle, and then glanced at her brother's cell phone.

She knocked it on the floor and stomped on it as hard as she could with one heeled boot. Knowing he'd be back any second, she lobbed the empty water glass to the wooden floor and watched it shatter, even as she flung her weight - hip first - into the solid little table as hard as she could and allowed her momentum to carry her, and everything on the stand to the floor.

The vase practically exploded in a shower of glass and smashed around her but the table itself was too sturdy to fall. Instead it teetered and then skidded and scraped at least a full foot across Nicolas's beautiful floors. She felt a flash of guilt when Michael dashed back into the room, pausing momentarily in the bathroom doorway, Aspirin in hand, looking shocked and concerned. Faster than she'd predicted he dropped the medicine, took a few long strides and reached down to help her to her feet; she winced when she felt several stinging sensations along her left arm and shoulder.

"Kristina! Are you ok? What happened?" when he spotted the bloody gashes as he started to help her up Michael cursed under his breath and lifted her completely clear of the entire mess. Again, she beat back her guilt at his bewildered and alarmed expression and refused to let it sway her. She allowed her distress, pain, remorse, concern, every heightened emotion she was feeling, to seep into her voice as she began to cry.

"I'm so sorry Michael! I don't know what happened! I stood up to close the curtains, the light was hurting my eyes…but I think I got up too fast! I got so dizzy, and then I was on the floor and heard a crash! I broke Nikolas's vase, Alfred will be so upset! I'm so sorry!" Michael frowned, trying to make out the watery jumble of words that Krista was rattling off through her tears.

"It's fine Kris, it was an accident." He set her away from him and watched her sob as she held her bleeding hand to her chest. Again a feeling of remorse filled him; after a few seconds he managed to sooth his distraught sister and pulled her bleeding hand and arm away from her chest where she'd been clutching it. He plucked several pieces of glass from her left hand, gritting his teeth every time she flinched.

"Hang on a sec, and don't move Kris, I mean it! You could really hurt yourself." She nodded, sniffling as his shoes crunched across the broken glass scattered across the floor. He went into the bathroom again; she heard the slam of a cabinet door or two, then the rattle of a drawer before he stepped back into the room with a bottle of peroxide and a few cloth hand-towels. Her brother was nothing if not resourceful.

Again he sat next to her and helped her shrug out of her cropped, cuffed blazer; thankfully most of the glass hadn't managed to get through that. Her fitted V-neck blouse was a little ripped and a little bloody in few spots, but overall he was relieved to see that there was no real damage done. Together they checked and rechecked her hand and arm for any glass splinters. After several minutes of this, a few seconds of tug of war for her hand, and squabbling over the bottle of peroxide, Michael relented and carried the remaining medicine and now red-flecked hand towels back into the bathroom.

Kristina watched him expectantly from the bed, her booted feet crossed in front of her. She was leaning drowsily against the headboard, her blazer wadded up in her lap, injured arm crossed in front of her when he came back into the room. He crouched down and lifted both his shattered cell and the handset out of the debris, testing them both. Neither worked...of course. He glanced at her then back to the phones with an indecisive expression; she knew what dilemma was running through his mind; time to give him a nudge.

"Michael, can you hand me the aspirin now?" she sounded sleepy, and miserable. He retrieved the bottle from where it had fallen earlier, popped off the lid and handed her two pills. She took them with a scowl and a mutter of 'stingy'. He smiled and offered her two more, which she quickly dry swallowed and made a face.

"I think your questions are going to have to wait Michael." He could hear the sleep creeping back into her voice as she closed her eyes and relaxed back against the pillows propping her up against the headboard. He watched her for another minute as her breathing evened out and her head lolled to the side. Satisfied that she was out, he turned and left the room as quietly as possible, closing the door soundlessly behind him. Then he made his way across the hall to a nearly identical room and used that room phone to call downstairs. Alfred connected him to Nikolas; who in turn put him on speaker.

After a brief monologue, he was interrupted – mostly by Alexis – and ended up answering several pointless questions – no she hadn't told him anything yet, yes she seemed fine, no she hadn't cut herself too badly, yes his mom should come look at her.

"I think that the stuff we dosed her with really messed her up. Are we sure that it was safe? I mean, she's got a nasty headache, she's completely off balance, and she's light sensitive. When I left her in the room to call you she seemed to almost pass out -".

"What do you mean, when you left!" there was an eruption on the other end of the phone and he couldn't make what anyone was saying as they all tried to talk over each other. He tried to explain about the broken phones, which only seemed to make things worse. Finally, thankfully, Sam seemed to realize that they were getting nowhere and took him off the speaker phone. "Michael, I need you to go back to her room now and make sure she's still there, If she is, then please stay there until I can come up."

"But..." Michael had a sinking feeling in his gut as Jason took the phone from his wife. "It's very convenient, don't you think Michael? That she managed to get you out of the room. Sam and I are coming up now." Michael barely heard him as he stormed across the hall, phone clenched in his fist as he listened to Sam hand the phone off to his dad. Sonny was saying something but Michael couldn't hear it over the roaring in his ears as he flung open the door to Kristina's room. He clenched his jaw and brought the phone back up to his ear, interrupting whatever it was that his father had been saying.

"Sorry dad, you were right…she's gone. I'm going to look for her. I'll call you back." He ended the call and took off down the hallways towards the main stairs. With Sam and Jason coming up and him heading down, hopefully someone would run into her.

Sonny looked over at Luke as he hung up the phone, his expression dazed. Luke shrugged and crossed the room; he clapped a hand on his friends shoulder in show of fatherly solidarity. "Daughters man..." With a hopeless shake of his head he tossed back his scotch and made for the decanter; Tracy beat him to it – barely – and stalked across the room with it, leaving him to stare mournfully after her with a muttered "…but popsicle!"

"You wanted to help, so help!" was her snarled reply.

"I'll go down and let Ethan know what's going on." Johnny said, dashing out of the room and praying that his and Lulu's child was a boy. A daughter might kill him.

"It's going to be hard to find her" Nikolas said, rising to his feet from behind his desk. "She spent a lot of time here, playing with Spencer and Molly. She knows most of the passageways and tunnels. If she's trying to leave, we won't be able to find her."

"I'll call the launch and tell them that there's no one allowed on or off the Island until they hear from me or you Nikolas." Alexis said, picking up the phone Sonny had discarded and dialing several numbers as she turned to stand by the fireplace.

"I'll head down to the dock just in case." Dante muttered as chaos ensued and everyone began to talk at once and over each other. Before he could leave the room a shrill, ear piercing whistle cut through the air, and that shut everyone up and got their attention. Everyone turned to look at Luke, who had one hand holding the decanter over his wife's head as she desperately tried to steal it back from him; his other hand was curled around his mouth. Dante wondered how his ex-father-in-law could whistle so loudly with an empty glass in one hand, a half full decanter in the other, and his wife attempting to climb him like a tree to get it back?

"I think we've all forgotten something. Our little Ace in the hole! Your precious little mob princess won't be leaving without the Ruskie, I guarantee it. See pudding, I'm helping" Luke pointed out. Tracy lowered her arms but continue to glare at him. He just smiled at her indulgently and poured another glass.

"Alright, but Dante I agree with you. Go ahead and go down to the dock, just in case." Sonny said. His oldest son nodded and left the room.

"Do you have a video system?" Sonny asked Nikolas, who only nodded, already ahead of him as he pulled up the feed on the monitor of his laptop. Several black and white scenes blinked to life, then began to flicker from one camera view to another.

"I do" he said turning the laptop around "but it's easier to watch from the Security Guard's office, down by the main gate. This toggles through all the camera's a few at a time. In the office all of the cameras are a steady stream, no waiting. Unfortunately none of the guards are here today, which I thought would be prudent at the time, considering what was going on."

"Ok, Carly you and Olivia head there and watch the cameras. Call us if you see anything." Sonny delegated. Carly cocked her eyebrow and opened her mouth up as if to argue, but was interrupted by Olivia who clamped a hand over her mouth and glared at her best friend.

"We're happy to help. C'mon Carly." She said meaningfully. Carly glowered at her for a moment before nodding and allowing Olivia to tug her out of the room.

"Alfred will give you the keys!" Nikolas called after them before turning back to address what remained of the group. "I think that the rest of us should -" he started to speak but broke off, and cocked his head to the side curiously as Johnny came barreling back into the room breathing heavily.

"Ethan – lock – broken key." he doubled over and clutched at the stich his side.

"What are you rambling about?" Sonny demanded, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Johnny glared at him as he took several deep breaths in an effort to speak. Nikolas was impressed; to make it all the way down to the cellar and back in under just a few minutes was tough. Alexis went to hand Johnny a glass of water, but he waved it away.

"I was trying to say, _**Sonny**_, that Sokolov isn't locked in the cellar anymore! Ethan is…and Sokolov broke the key off in the lock." Johnny was very sure that Sonny was seriously considering shooting the messenger.

"Well now…" Luke said slamming back the last of his most recent drink and then setting the empty glass down with a bang. "…this is getting interesting. Dodge locked up in the Cassadine Klink, our resources spread thin, and finally agents Peel and Steed running lose around Wyndemere trying to find and free each other I'll wager. This is my kind of party. Vlad!" With a long suffering sigh, Nikolas turned to his ex-step-father, who was sounding entirely too chipper, and raised an inquiring eyebrow.

"We need a toolbox; do any of your flying monkeys have one? I know you don't, but someone around here has to! Find out where it is, and help Zacchara take the cellar door off the hinges."

"Ethan isn't the priority right now!" Sonny snapped.

"Obviously! But!" He paused dramatically before continuing "Dodge knows the secrets and catacombs of this place nearly as well as I do! I should know! I showed them to him! We need him on the hunt!" Nikolas just shook his head before heading towards the door and motioning for Johnny to follow him. He was going to have to Spencer-proof this house one day!

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anfisa_ - Flower

_Matʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ - love

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.


	26. Chapter 26

_Chapter 26_

_**Hi everyone. I hadn't been to this site for a while (I've been working on my original story pretty diligently) and just popped in the other day to see if there was still interest in this FF. Holy Cow! Apparently so! Thank you all so much for all the wonderful reviews! Again, I make no promises, but I will update again! After seeing all the messages you left, I went back and watched a ton of Ethan and Kristina clips, man I miss them on GH! This chapter is for you guys, thanks so much for reading and reviewing, you're the only reason I'm updating! **_

Kristina crouched low as she maneuvered her way through one of Wyndemere's many secret tunnels. She tried valiantly not to think about all of the cobwebs and creepy-crawlies that were undoubtedly in the old passage with her. She most certainly refused to think about how many of them were now in her hair, and instead trudged valiantly along.

She had discovered this particular pathway with Molly years ago, during much happier and far simpler times. That thought almost made her laugh; she'd never imagined that she'd consider any part of her childhood a 'happier time'. She shivered and felt her teeth chatter which only intensified her headache; these old catacombs were damp, drafty, and unpleasant at the height of summer. This time of year, when the snow and cold always managed to weave a chill into your bones, the blasted place felt like a subzero tundra, and sent shivers zinging up and down her spine.

Finally closing in on her destination, she slowed her pace and took cautious steps the final few feet, careful not to make a sound. She was taking a big gamble coming here; yes it was a calculated risk…but a risk none-the-less. Silently she pressed her body up against the wall, again shuddering at the cold, praying that her family thought she was trying to leave the island. Hoping that they wouldn't realize she was so close, Kristina pressed her ear against the wall and closed her eyes in concentration.

While it might seem foolish, this was her only way of finding Aleksandr quickly, there were too many places in Wyndemere to stash a prisoner…or hide a body. Knowing her family, first one and then the other would happen in rapid succession if they were left to their own devices. She had no time to play games, and struggled to focus only on the muffled voices on the other side. She couldn't hear much at first, except for the chattering of her own teeth.

Taking a deep breath Kristina pressed herself harder against the wall, annoyed that no one had installed a decent peep hole or way to spy on the other room. It was very inconvenient. Finally, she began to make out a few of the words, gradually piecing more and more of what they were saying together.

"…stupid…"

"Not your fault…"

She winced; Michael was blaming himself for letting her get away. She regretted that what she'd done had hurt him, but it was necessary.

"Alfred…hinges…tools…-than."

"Stupendous!" Luke's exuberant shout startled her and Kristina leaned her head farther away for an instant, and did her best to glare daggers at him through the layers of concrete and wood separating them. Apparently he was very close to where she was standing. "Dodge is free! To the tunnels! Ow!" The sound of a glass exploding as it was hurled into the fireplace had her jumping a full foot back.

"I. Have. Had. Enough!" Tracy's bellow could be heard all the way in Port Charles, Kristina was sure. The sound of a scuffle sounded, followed by several expletives and Luke's cry of '– but lamb-chop!'

"Don't you 'but lamb-chop' me!" A thud across from where Kristina stood indicated that someone, probably Luke, had been shoved enthusiastically against the wall. "I refuse to go to prison for this idiocy!" Tracy's lungs were impressive! "Just let them go, they're both on the loose anyway…we don't have the element of surprise anymore because your youngest son is a buffoon like his father, and Michael is as gullible as a puppy headed for its first trip to the vet!"

Kristina grinned and spun away, not bothering to stay and listen to anymore. Thank God for Tracy and her big mouth; so they were both loose? Aleksandr would never know Wyndemere the way she did, but they'd had a contingency plan for just such an occasion. Though he was nearly three years her junior, Aleksandr was shrewd, skilled, and cautious. He'd make his way through the mansion to the portrait of her Uncle Stefan in the stairwell landing of the East Wing. She'd clearly outlined that escape route to him; he'd follow it knowing that she was in no real danger from her family. He could not say the same.

Helena stepped out from the alcove on the opposite side of where Kristina had been standing just minutes ago, face split into a Cheshire grin. It would all be over soon. She turned and made her way in the opposite direction the girl had taken. The poor foolish child; she had no idea that she'd not been alone in the dark. It would have been so easy to end it all then; a flick of the wrist and a flash of the blade. Easy, but not clean, not simple…no…today wasn't the day.

She'd survived all these years, outlived her beloved husband, his scheming brothers, their sons because she was both cunning and patient. She had only to be patient a while longer and what she'd set in motion would resolve everything to her satisfaction and could never be traced back to her.

Still…Helena paused and allowed her fingertips to reach up and brush against the bandage still covering her cheek…it was a shame that she'd not feel that little bitches blood trickle through her own fingers.

Aleksandr scowled at the elderly man who hobbled around Spoon Island like a wraith, hiding behind a wing-backed chair as the old man creaked about the room. Aleksandr had ducked in upon seeing Alexis dash by. Unfortunately for him, the Butler had entered the room barely a minute later. Dear God, could the old fellow go any slower? What was his name? Albert? Albus? He just puttered around, using his white gloved hands to check for dust around the larger pieces of furniture in the sitting room.

Finally the old man exited the room when the phone he carried began to ring; Aleksandr counted to thirty and then stood to make his way across the little sitting room. He had only taken two steps towards the door when it banged open and Molly Lancing strode in, her face buried in a book. She turned and closed the door behind her as she entered…but spotted him from the corner of her eye as she turned back around. She jolted in surprise and dropped the hardcover she'd been reading with a thump.

They both froze, and Aleksandr watched her take a frightened step back, his mind going a million miles per hour. He recognized her instantly from Kristina's photos and the stories she'd shared; of course Molly wouldn't know him from Adam. He watched her take another hesitant step back, eyes wide in fear…but he made no sudden or threatening motions that might cause her to raise the alarm.

"Molly? You must be! Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you _Zvyozdochka. _Your sister tells me much about you." He purposefully thickened his accent, forcing a pleasant and relaxed tone into his voice. Then Aleksandr smiled, infusing his countenance with as much charm as possible; if she screamed he was as good as dead. He refused to give _Kristya_ the satisfaction of saying 'I told you so' and gloating if he were shot. The very idea was intolerable.

Molly hesitated, cocking her head to the side and letting a waterfall of russet hair cascade over her shoulder as she studied him for a moment longer before hesitantly returning his smile. "Aleksandr?"

"Of course!" He forced a laugh as he combed his fingers through his disheveled hair. "My apologies, this is very rude of me…da? Please allow me to introduce myself properly, I am Aleksandr Sokolov! It is a very great pleasure to meet you." he extended his right hand, still not moving an inch so as to make her feel comfortable. He would let her come to him.

The teen took a hesitant step towards him, her tentative grin blooming into a full blown smile. It took him aback for a moment...she looked very much like Kristina…and yet at the same time – not at all like her. What was more surprising was when she took another step towards him, her hand extended to shake his, and then tripped over the book she'd dropped when she'd entered the room.

Even as she stumbled Molly did her best to right herself, failed, squeezed her eyes shut, and waited for the embarrassing crash that would completely humiliate her in front of Kristina's very attractive boyfriend. She was surprised when a pair of strong hands clapped around her upper shoulders and biceps as she staggered into Aleksandr, who'd managed to close the distance between them and keep her from becoming a graceless heap on Nikolas' ugly antique rug.

"Oh sorry" she rushed out "and thanks…but mostly sorry." He was very – firm – she realized as he steadied her against his chest and she blushed in mortification, as she did her best to untangle her feet from each other. This was just ridiculous; once she managed to right herself she immediately stood up straight instead of slouching forward into his chest. That was a mistake.

She felt the top of her skull make contact with his jaw, and stumbled back clutching the top of her head as it rang in pain; the instant thrum of a headache resonated throughout her cranium and she gasped and all but fell into a large wing-backed chair. She was seeing stars, and was certain that poor Aleksandr was doing the same.

He was holding his chin with one hand, and had the other clapped over his right ear as if fighting off the pain of a headache all the while muttering viciously in Russian. While she didn't speak Russian, she was certain that he was using every swear word he'd ever heard.

"Oh God, Aleksandr, I am so sorry." Molly could hear the tears in her own voice, and felt the ache in her head thrum even more, if that was possible, with every word she spoke. "I am such a klutz, oh man, worst first impression ever. Do you hate me? I bet you hate me? My head hurts so much that I hate myself. I'd really like a redo on this whole 'meet the boyfriend' shebang if you don't mind. This can't be how we tell people we met. I'll never live it down."

As she finished her little ramble Molly glanced at him; he was staring at her as if she were speaking Greek. "I feel really awful and Kristina will never let me live it down if I've cracked your skull and we have to take you to the hospital. C'mon, say something. Please. You have to say something. If you don't I won't stop rambling. It will only get worse."

Finally he grinned, his head still in his hands. "_Zvyozdochka _it is not your fault. I will be fine. What about you? Have you fried your eggs?"

Molly felt her stomach drop. Fried her eggs? She had cracked his skull. Aleksandr noticed the askance look she gave him and then watched the concerned look on her face morph into slight panic. He knew that look; her sister had the same one. What had he said wrong now?

"Perhaps this is not the right phrase. Scrambled your eggs?" he prompted. There was a long moment of silence before both her eyebrows shot up into her hairline.

"Wait, are you trying to ask me if you scrambled my brain?" her tone was caught somewhere between amused and concerned.

"Scrambled your brain…yes, this sounds familiar." He parroted back. "I am sure that my head is much harder than yours Molly. Are you certain that you are all right?"

"Oh, no it's all good. Nothing a little Excedrin Migraine won't cure." She promised waving away his worry.

Aleksandr crouched down and retrieved the book that had caused their little collision. He examined it for a moment before standing and handing it over to her.

"Tolstoy's Anna Karenina…that is very impressive. _Kristya_ has often mentioned your love of books." Molly ducked her head and tucked the book against her chest before quickly rising to her feet.

"Well, impressive or not, Tolstoy won't do anything for our headaches. I'll run down to the kitchen for a moment and be right back with a painkiller. Will you still be here or will you be in one of the other wings with Kristina?"

"I will be joining _Kristya_ shortly. We will be on our way out soon. Please don't concern yourself with me. I can take something once I return to my hotel." He assured her. He needed her to go so that he could make his way to the landing across the hall.

"Are you sure? I can grab it and be back in a jiffy! Please! I feel really bad for 'frying your eggs'." She said with air quotes.

"If you insist _Zvyozdochka _I will wait here for you." He acquiesced. She grinned at him and nodded before she darted for the door. As she reached for the handle Molly paused, Anna Karenina still in her other hand, and then glanced at him over her shoulder. "What does that mean?" her curiosity was piqued.

"_Zvyozdochka?_"she nodded. He winked. "_Little_ _Star_." She smiled again, a light blush staining her cheeks before she opened the door and disappeared.

Aleksandr paused, giving her time to get out of sight before he stepped to the door, cracked it, and looked around. He then walked out and edged his way around the room, and up the stairs to the portrait of Stefan Cassadine…all the while doing his best to avoid the poorly concealed cameras.

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anfisa_ – Flower

_Matʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ – love

_Zvyozdochka_ – little star

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.

6


	27. Chapter 27

_Chapter 27_

_**Hi again everyone. This just wouldn't leave me alone today, so here's another chapter for you! **_

After he sealed the passageway entrance Aleksandr stood silently in the chilled catacombs and let his eyes adjust to the darkness. At first he couldn't see anything at all; but eventually he was able to make out shapes and outlines. He cursed inwardly at the strain it caused his eyes, which only aggravated his still throbbing head.

It ultimately took him longer than he had anticipated, but after several tense minutes he could see clearly enough to follow the route Kristina had obstinately drilled into his mind. Finally certain that he wouldn't become disoriented and lost, he cautiously made his way through the maze-like caverns that littered the underbelly of Spoon Island.

In time he began to hear the oceans steady ebb and flow; long before he could see light, he could smell the salt in the air and the wind on his face. Gradually he came to a steep incline the led him up a rockier path than he'd taken up till this point. As he rounded a bend, light began to seep through crags and cracks from the rocks above him.

He stopped as he neared the mouth of the cavern; someone was ahead…waiting for him. Warily he made his way through the narrow opening, aware that he was no longer alone.

"It took you long enough _Bolshoy Brat…_were you lost_?" _The majority of tension eased from his frame at the sound of her voice. They stood stoically for a moment simply eyeing each other before she stepped forward and flung her arms dramatically around him.

"Hardly; you are the one who has no sense of direction. Always so concerned _Sestrenka_; you know as well as I, this was one of our tamer undertakings." Kristina laughed and released him, taking a step back. Then she cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow when she spied the discoloration oh his face.

"Who got a piece of you?" his face exuded confusion until she reached up to jab her pointer finger into the darkening bruise on his jaw. He swore and jerked his head back out of her reach. The vicious little harpy had the audacity to grin when he scowled at her. "Oh come on, don't be such a baby." She pressed, "Was it my dad?" Her curiosity piqued when he refused to answer.

"Sam?" still nothing…"Jason?" pause "My mom?" he muttered foul and derogatory comments in a scathing tone of voice that had her raising both eyebrows. "Ugh…you are in a foul mood. Don't be so sensitive. I assume the headache isn't helping things…here...take these and we'll get off this rock."

He nearly wept when she pulled the tiny bottle of painkillers from her pants pocket. He dry swallowed several of them gratefully before jamming the remaining ones into his own pocket.

"Now what?" he asked.

"Now we steal a boat and get the hell out of Port Charles." He followed her down a brambled path that seemed to be leading them along the edge of the island.

"I think this will be a mistake _Kristya_."

"We can't stay here _Sasha_. It's not safe for you here. I tried to tell you and you wouldn't listen." Kristina could hear undercurrent of anger and bitterness in the tone of her voice, the bite in each of her words…the unspoken 'I told you so'. She didn't care. "_Sasha_, this was my family playing nice. I'm not sure what they thought they were going to do, but I guarantee… you wouldn't have enjoyed it."

"I do not disagree with you _Sestrenka_. That said, we do need help; I believe that our mistake was doing this on their terms. We need to try again to speak with them, but before we do, we will need to retrieve the items that I stashed when we first arrived. Besides, today has not been a total loss." Aleksandr gave thanks as his headache finally began to abate.

Kristina stopped dead in her tracks and turned to gape at him skeptically. "My family found out that I've been lying to them for years. They set a trap for us. They lured us to an isolated location. They drugged us. They locked us up on an island. Now they're hunting us. What part of today didn't completely suck?" she demanded.

"I finally met your family. For most part, I admit…it could have gone better…but your sister Molly; she was very kind." Kristina continued to stare at him incredulously. "Also…I have not been shot, as you predicted…I believe I will call that a win, considering your family history."

"The days still young." Kristina muttered scathingly as she turned and together they resumed their trek towards the Launch. "So you met Molly? When did this happen?"

"He had to have taken the passageway behind Uncle Stefan's portrait. That would explain why Molly saw him in the room adjacent to the stairwell." Nikolas said as he watched a concerned looking Molly head back towards the family wing.

He wished he could reassure her; tell her what was going on, but Alexis was doing her best to keep the girl in the dark for the time being. His aunt was often too protective, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Molly would soon, legally, be an adult. He could already see the defiance lurking in her eyes. He was very grateful to be the father of a son…if he'd had a teenage daughter…he shuddered at the thought.

It was pure luck that Molly had asked Alfred where the Excedrin was; when she'd mentioned Aleksandr Alfred had called him on his cell, which had brought everyone back into the mansion. His butler had then escorted her straight to her mother so that Molly could relay the specifics of her run-in with Aleksandr.

The catacombs were proving too vast to adequately cover. Only Luke, Ethan, Nikolas, and Alexis were capable of navigating the twisting passages without assistance, which meant they were forced to search in groups. The majority of Nikolas' guests had returned to the primary parlor after Alfred's call, with the exception of Dante, Michael, and Sam who were keeping an eye out at the dock, and Olivia and Carly who were still manning the security system.

"It's really their only play at this point." Sonny said as he leaned against the fireplace mantle. "Kristina will want him off the island as soon as possible."

Nikolas nodded his agreement as he took a seat at the chair nearest the fire. He didn't dare speak; he very much feared that if Kristina left, this time she would not return.

"We should still be out there looking for them." Alexis paced the room restlessly, and Ethan watched her rake her fingers through her hair just the same way Kristina often did. She couldn't seem to stand still, going from sitting to standing to pacing, then back to sitting.

"She could have brought him out of the catacombs in dozens of different places…and we've been looking for almost two hours and haven't seen a single sign of them Natasha." Luke countered, plopping himself down on a leather ottoman. "There aren't enough of us who know our way around down there…and getting someone lost in that dank, cold hellhole isn't the answer."

Ethan studied his stepmother as she attempted to glare a hole through his father. Luke seemed unconcerned about her continued wrath for the most part. Truth be told, he'd looked more put out earlier when she'd destroyed a rare and expensive bottle of scotch before he'd managed to find the bottom of it. The fact that she was obviously considering how best murder him and dispose of his body didn't appear to interest him in the least.

Johnny leaned against the wall behind Ethan. He wasn't certain why Tracy was angry…he'd be willing to bet she didn't honestly know either…but an _'I plan to kill my husband' _vibe practically radiated off her. He assumed that she just liked to have something…anything…to rail at Luke about. Their strange and twisted relationship might work for them, but in his opinion both of them were crazy…but not in the good way.

He, for one, was thrilled that Luke had managed to piss Tracy off; her ire at the Spencer patriarch kept her attention off of him. Luke hadn't approached him since he and Lulu had split up, maintaining his hands off parenting style. Tracy on the other hand, had appointed herself Lulu's protector. She'd threatened, on more than one occasion, to rip his intestines out through his nose and make balloon animals; or some variation thereof.

"Um…Sonny…" Olivia's hesitant voice caught everyone's attention from the parlor doorway. Carly followed her friend into the room, looking furious but remaining silent as she and Olivia were escorted through the doorway by a very stoic Aleksandr and Kristina.

"Apparently not their only play, mon frère," Luke corrected Sonny, surprise evident in his voice. He came to his feet, along with all other occupants of the room.

It took Ethan an instant to process what was happening; while not pointed directly at anyone, for the moment, both Kristina and the Russian guns in hand. Olivia made her way directly to Sonny's side looking apologetic…Carly came to stand next to Nikolas looking apocalyptic.

"Kristina, what the hell are you doing?" Sonny demanded, mirroring Ethan's unspoken thought, his clipped furious voice obliterating the tense and stunned silence. Sonny stepped in front of Olivia and took an ominous step towards his only daughter. Across the room Kristina brought her weapon up and pointed it directly at him; Aleksandr shut and locked the door they'd come through, trapping them all in together.

"Don't." Kristina warned her father. He ignored her and took another obstinate step forward, chin thrust out as if in challenge. Kristina's expression hardened and her eyes narrowed as she flipped off the safety.

Jason recognized the expression and resolve in her eyes; in his opinion, Kristina had never looked more like her father. He reached out and grabbed his business partner roughly, stopping Sonny in his tracks.

"Mr. Morgan, I would greatly appreciate it if you would relive first Mr. Corinthos and then yourself of your weapons. Place them on the floor, and kick them to us." Sokolov's accented voice was polite, but no nonsense. "Slowly…two fingers." He nodded as Jason followed his directive. At this point, Jason was at a loss as to what to do. Getting physically aggressive with Sam's sister, Sonny's daughter, Michaels's sister…worst plan ever. Negotiating wasn't his style, so for now he'd simply let the situation unfold.

Once they were disarmed Aleksandr bent to retrieve their handguns; he tucked Jason's into the back of his pants and passed the other to Kristina who did the same with her fathers.

He then turned slightly and raised his own weapon, barrel aimed in Ethan and Johnny's direction. "You as well Mr. Zacchara…_Kristya_ tells me that, as a rule, Mr. Lovett does not carry a weapon, but that you will have one concealed."

Johnny scowled darkly but also followed suite. The way the two of them worked in perfect sync astonished him. It was the way he and Ethan worked; the way Jason was with Sonny…an unspoken understanding that your partner wouldn't let you down. Aleksandr seemed sure that Kristian had his back. She appeared confident that he was capable of protecting hers. What had happened to the teen he'd befriended so long ago, to turn her into this?

Ethan had never shied away from guns, but he'd made it his policy to have as little to do with them as possible. He was best described as 'capable' when armed. Kristina's level of comfort and apparent expertise unnerved him. The weapon she held seemed to be the right size and weight for her, and she moved with unerring precision. There was no tension in her arm, zero hesitation in her movements, no jerky uncertainty or twisting the gun to the side in the classically erroneous 'movie' pose.

Instead she handled it as if she'd done so thousands of times, and maybe she had. Even someone as experienced as Jason or Johnny would find no fault with her proficiency. His heart broke for her just a bit more. Judging by the stricken look on her mother's face and the enraged one on her father's…they felt the same. This was not the destiny she'd been meant for. This was not the person they'd intended for her to become; it was etched in the horrified expressions of everyone in the room.

This was not a woman that they knew; that Kristina had never laid her hands on a gun to his knowledge. Even if she had, not in her wildest dreams would she actually point said weapon at someone she loved – even Sonny. That girl had desired respect; this woman demanded it.

He'd known almost from the first moment she'd turned up at Jake's...something was different. Despite all the concerns, suspicions, even in the face of all the evidence they'd uncovered …seeing her like this stripped away the last of their illusions. Obliterated the idea that things could go back to the way they were 'supposed to be'; this was the woman that girl had forged herself into.

Seeing her sans the pretenses she'd made and the façade she'd been putting to keep them in the dark finally brought everything into perspective. This was not a girl to be coddled and protected, to treat as fragile glass. This was a dangerous woman who made her own decisions, who was unapologetic about them, and was willing to live with the consequences of her actions. Damn her to hell; how would he ever resist Kristina now?

"Ok everyone, single file. Line up against the far wall with Johnny and Ethan; slide to the floor and sit on your hands." Kristina's tone was cold and brooked no nonsense.

"Kristina – that's enough. You put that gun down right now." Alexis pushed past Nikolas and Sonny as everyone else did what her daughter told them. "I didn't raise you to behave this way. Are you completely out of your mind?" Alexis' voice pitched several painfully loud decibels louder than should have been humanly possible, her voice warbling unsteadily on the last few words, arms flapping madly at her sides. It was Sonny who finally muscled her backwards and forced her to sit down with everyone else.

Once the group finished their griping and yelling about the situation, Tracy demanded to be moved away from her 'reprobate husband', who'd had the gall to sit down next to her. Aleksandr manfully ignored the clearly unstable woman, who began to scream at him loudly and slowly as if he were mentally handicapped.

"I know English isn't your first language, but surely you must understand something! I. MOVE." Scissoring her fingers she mimed what she was saying and walked her fingers across her hand. "MY. CRIMINAL. HUSBAND. IS. TO. BLAME. FOR. ME. BEING. HERE." With every word she spoke she only got louder, and pointed dramatically to the floor. "IF. YOU. NO. LET. ME. MOVE. I. WILL. CHOKE. HIM. TO DEATH." She then dramatically mimicked choking someone.

Finally it was Kristina who could take no more.

"Tracy, you are well aware that we both understand English just fine, and that neither one of us is deaf! We had dinner together just a few hours ago. But if it will keep you quiet, then by all means please…just move, but quietly!" Tracy looked furious, but huffed dramatically and moved to sit next to Olivia.

"I know that you are all angry." This time it was Aleksandr who spoke. "I know also that you do not fully understand what is going on or why things are happening. This is why I do not hold your actions against you, and why I have convinced _Kristya_ to tell you truth, but she is very cow-herded and -"

"Bull!" Kristina blurted out looking exasperated and stomping one foot in sheer agitation.

"What?" Aleksandr looked at her in surprise.

"It's _bull-headed_ _Sasha_, not cow-herded." The side of Ethan's mouth quirked up as he did his best to keep from grinning outright...it just wasn't the time.

"…fine…she is most 'bull-headed.'" he continued, "She wished to leave the island and then the city. I tell her that we must at least try once again. So for me, she agrees. Do not make me regret asking this of her. I will not do so a second time. Kristya..." Sokolov prompted, turning to look at her.

Kristina took a deep breath and exhaled, then sat down across from her family on the same hideous ottoman that Luke had occupied earlier.

"It's a long story…" she began.

**Muahahahahaha! Cliffhanger!**

_Sestrenka_ – little sister

_Kristya_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

_Sasha_ - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

_Bolshoy Brat_ - Big Brother

_Anfisa_ – Flower

_Matʹ_ - mother of

_lyubov_ – love

_Zvyozdochka_ – little star

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.

7


End file.
